WARDHA (Maharashtr): HDFC Bank today announced the completion of its Holistic Rural Development Programme (HRDP) in 7 villages in the Wardha district of Maharashtra. Through this programme, the lives of over 6,000 people living in these villages have been transformed. HRDP is a flagship CSR initiative of Parivartan, HDFC Bank’s umbrella brand for all its social development programmes.
Five villages are from Arvi Block: Natala, Bothali, Pimpalgaon, Chaka Majara, Amaji Majara and two from Hinganghat Block: Yerangaon, and Satephal.
The initiatives undertaken in these villages are:
- Improved farming demonstrations, water management, digital education
- Clean drinking water and sanitation units
- Construction of 21 check dams, 18 gabion structures
- Soil and water conservation on over 1,000 acres
- Solar fencing on 210 acre, solar street lights
- Income generation activities such as goat rearing, poultry
At an event held in Wardha today, Amar Kale, Member of Legislative Assembly presided over a ceremony to announce the completion of the projects undertaken in these villages. Also present at the ceremony was Mr. Kishor Sutar, Corporate Social Responsibility, HDFC Bank.
Holistic Rural Development Programme has, in fact, so far covered more than 1,000 villages in 17 states across the country. It seeks to better village life by focussing on improvements in five key areas of:
Education, Skills Training and Livelihood Enhancement, Natural Resources Management, Water and Sanitation, Financial Literacy and Inclusion
Under this unique programme, a thorough assessment of the village is carried out to understand its developmental needs. To address these needs in a sustainable and effective manner, the Bank creates long-term solutions in partnership with an NGO and the local community. The beneficiaries of HRDP include small farmers, youth, landless labourers, children and women.
“Through HRDP we are creating an ecosystem to improve the overall economic and social conditions in rural India. Our NGO partners play an instrumental role in planning and executing projects. We also work closely with local communities, who participate in the projects through ‘Shramdaan’, to make the initiative sustainable,” said Nusrat Pathan, Head – Corporate Social Responsibility, HDFC Bank.
In Wardha, the partner NGO for HRDP is Sanjeevani Institute of Empowerment and Development (SIED). The villages of Wardha have seen a transformation in their lives on account of the HRDP intervention – both monetary and non-monetary. These are some of the projects that have been implemented:
| Focus Areas | Interventions |
| Education | Improving quality of primary education, Introduction to the digital education |
| Skills Training and Livelihood Enhancement | Livestock health improvement efforts, Skilling and beginning of the livelihood interventions, Farmers’ field school, Promotion of horticulture, Setting up of women SHGs |
| Natural Resources Management | Soil conservation and water harvesting, Irrigation water management, Organic farming, Vermin composting, Construction of water storage structures, Agricultural interventions, Use of solar energy Waste water management |
| Water and Sanitation | Improving community health Hygiene and sanitation |
| Financial Literacy and Inclusion | Financial Planning Importance of Savings Advantages of Saving with Banks Benefits of Borrowing from Organized Sources of Finance |
