As a part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, private sector Federal Bank plans to donate 1,000 used computers to set up computer labs in 200 schools within Kerala. The total cost of the project is estimated at around Rs 40 lakh.
The lender (Federal Bank) will donate a set of five pre-owned computers to schools after getting them refurbished. Presently banks have to dispose of computers every five years as part of system of upgradation, Thampy Kurian, General Manager Head (Human Resources and CSR) told PTI reporters.
The cost of setting up the facility and AMC for one year would be borne by the bank, which has earmarked Rs 4,500/- per PC (Rs 22,500/- per school) and a total of Rs 40 lakh this year for the CSR project.
The project has been rolled out from this year in Kerala and plans are afoot to extend the project to other parts of the country and enhance the outlay progressively. Next year, 1500 computers would be provided to 250 odd selected schools in the country.
“We believe that by enabling easy access to technology, bank could reshape the destiny of lakhs of poor children from backward areas,” he said. There are about six lakh villages and seven lakh rural schools having lack of primary infrastructure.
As part of the initiative, students from some schools in Aluva, Alapuzha and Ernakulam will be beneficiaries of the project. The bank’s CSR initiatives covers health care, environmental protection and financial literacy. Twenty five conselling centers have been opened in various parts of the country to build awareness about the financial frauds.
Other Corporate Social Responsibility projects undertaken by Federal Bank include distribution of scholarships every year to deserving candidates studying Medicine, Engineering, Business Management, B.Sc. Nursing and B.Sc. Agriculture through the FedBank Hormis Memorial Foundation.
[PTI]
