MUMBAI: WABAG, a leading pure play water technology Indian Multinational and NABARD, the apex institution for agriculture and rural development in the country along with three NGOs have entered into MoUs today for implementation of watershed development projects under WABAG-CSR Program.
Under these MoUs, WABAG agrees to provide grant assistance to three reputed NGOs amounting to Rs.2.25 crores with matching contribution by NABARD, aggregating to Rs.4.50 crores.
The proposed projects are widely spread out in Virudhunagar, Tuticorin and Dindigul Districts and will be implemented by reputed NGOs – Social Education Economical Development Society (SEEDS); Vidiyel Trust and Centre for Improved Rural Health and Environmental Education (CIRHEP) respectively.
The objectives are – enhancement of livelihood security; water conservation; prevent migration; employment generation; long term sustainability through community participation for maintenance of community assets like various water harvesting structures.
This is a 4-year project that will be implemented at a cost of around Rs.4.50 crores covering around 9200 acres.
The project beneficiaries would be Sinnur Watershed, Pudur Block, Thoothukudi District; Erumaikulam watershed, Narikudi Block, Virudhunagar District and Kannivadi Watershed, Reddiarchartram Block, Dindigul District. Around 2500 households will be impacted on implementation of these projects.
Last year, WABAG tied up with NABARD for similar projects for a value of around Rs.5.00 crores including the matching contribution and the work in these two districts already commenced and making good progress.
With this, the total CSR investment of WABAG for NABARD watershed development projects aggregates to around Rs.4.75 crores.
S Nagoor Ali Jinnah, Chief General Manager represented NABARD and WABAG was represented by S Varadarajan, Director and Chief Growth Officer at the MoU signing ceremony.
Coupled with WABAG’s earlier tie-up with NABARD, this large scale intervention in the water stewardship covers 5 districts in Tamil Nadu and brings the areas under watershed around 20000 acres, benefiting over 7000 households at a total cost of around Rs 9.50 crores.
This CSR initiative would go a long way in supporting the “Per drop more crop” mission.
