<a href="https://www.csrvoice.com/post/environment/jindal-stainless-sanjeevan-air-purification-kashi/1412" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jindal Stainless Foundation </a>(JSF), the corporate social responsibility arm of <a href="https://www.jindalstainless.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jindal Stainless</a>, said on Monday it has launched a landmark initiative called &#8220;Parivartan,&#8221; an integrated village development programme targeting Ladwa village near the company&#8217;s Hisar manufacturing facility in Haryana.



The programme is expected to benefit approximately 7,500 to 8,000 residents, the foundation said, through a participatory model covering healthcare, education, women&#8217;s empowerment, agriculture, livelihood promotion, sanitation, environmental sustainability, community participation and institutional strengthening.



JSF Chairperson Deepika Jindal said the Parivartan initiative reflects the company&#8217;s belief that businesses and communities should grow together. &#8220;Through &#8216;Parivartan,&#8217; we aim to create a sustainable and inclusive development model for Ladwa Village by addressing critical areas such as healthcare, education, livelihoods, and environmental sustainability,&#8221; Jindal said, adding the foundation intends to build partnerships that deliver lasting social impact.



Rather than standalone interventions, the foundation said Parivartan will pursue a comprehensive village development model built around community ownership and local capacity-building, in partnership with the Gram Panchayat, government departments, community-based organisations and NGOs.



The programme will begin with a baseline survey and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) to assess Ladwa&#8217;s socio-economic profile and identify priorities, JSF said. Findings will feed into a Village Development Plan prepared jointly with local stakeholders.



<a href="https://www.csrvoice.com/post/agri-food/jindal-nabard-to-help-boost-farmers-income/31" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JSF</a> said it will hold regular Gram Sabha meetings and consultations with youth, women, farmers, teachers, frontline workers and local leaders throughout the programme to maintain transparency and accountability. The foundation described Parivartan as a long-term model for inclusive growth and community empowerment.

Jindal Stainless launches landmark Parivartan plan

Binance Charity, the philanthropic arm of cryptocurrency exchange Binance, said Thursday it has donated Rs 3.3 crore to <a href="https://goonj.org/donate/campaign/rahat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goonj</a>&#8216;s Rahat Initiative to provide urgent Assam floods relief, as the northeastern Indian state grapples with its worst flooding in more than six decades.



The death toll from the floods has climbed to 105, with more than 1.2 million people across 25 districts and 2,734 villages affected at various stages this year, according to the latest official reports. Earlier in August, 349 villages in Golaghat, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Bajali, Dhemaji, Sonitpur and Jorhat districts were reported affected.



The urgent Assam floods relief funding will go toward essential supplies including household items, hygiene kits and tarpaulins, distributed according to the needs of affected communities.



In a statement, Binance Charity said the contribution is expected to reach 27,500 families across the flood-hit districts, supporting both immediate relief and longer-term recovery efforts.



&#8220;Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the devastating floods,&#8221; said SB Seker, Head of APAC at Binance. &#8220;In times like these, it is crucial that communities and organizations come together to support those most in need.



By working with Goonj&#8217;s &#8216;Rahat Initiative,&#8217; we hope our contribution will provide urgent relief on the ground and help families begin the long journey of rebuilding and recovering.&#8221;



Anshu Gupta, founder of Goonj, said the scale of loss across Assam this monsoon season has been staggering, with nonstop rains forcing residents into makeshift shelters and destroying months of stored grain and livelihoods overnight.



He said the support would help the organization move faster in delivering relief material to hard-to-reach districts while sustaining a longer-term presence during the recovery phase.



Goonj has also opened a public fundraiser for individuals wishing to contribute directly to the Rahat Initiative&#8217;s flood response in Assam.

Binance Charity donates Rs 3.3 crore for urgent Assam floods relief

Singapore-headquartered waste management and circular economy company Blue Planet Environmental Solutions has released its first Annual Sustainability Report 2026, marking a significant milestone in the company&#8217;s ESG journey and setting a baseline for performance across FY24 and FY26.



The integrated waste management firm said it processed 8.92 million tonnes of waste across the two reporting years, contributing to an estimated 1.24 million tCO₂e in avoided emissions through initiatives spanning landfill biomining, e-waste recycling and biofuel operations.



Resource recovery scales up



According to the report, legacy waste processed jumped to 5.10 million tonnes in FY26, up from 3.49 million tonnes in FY25. E-waste processed also saw a sharp rise, nearly doubling from 11,552 tonnes to 20,060 tonnes over the same period.



In FY26 alone, the company processed 44,833 tonnes of paper, 24,537 tonnes of plastics, and 6,364 tonnes of iron and steel, along with other material streams, the report noted.



Commenting on the development, Prashant Singh, Co-Founder &amp; CEO, Blue Planet Environmental Solutions, said, &#8220;Our first Sustainability Report marks an important step in how we measure our impact. As Blue Planet scales, we believe growth must be matched by transparency, accountability and measurable outcomes. This report establishes our baseline and strengthens our commitment to creating long-term environmental, social and economic value.&#8221;



Robust ESG governance framework



The report has been prepared with reference to the GRI Standards 2021 and is supported by a digital ESG data management platform aimed at improving consistency, traceability and review of ESG information, the company said.



Blue Planet also disclosed that it implemented 103 Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP) items, achieving 100% ESAP compliance — verified through independent third-party audits across multiple operations.



Additionally, select ESG indicators underwent independent limited assurance in line with ISAE 3000 (Revised), covering key areas such as energy, water, waste, Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, workforce, workplace safety and diversity.



Workforce and road ahead



The company reported a workforce of more than 4,000 employees and workers during the reporting period. Notably, employee participation in training programmes surged from 7,706 in FY25 to 14,318 in FY26.



Looking ahead, Blue Planet said it will prioritise strengthening ESG data governance, climate and resource efficiency, supply-chain ESG oversight, occupational health and safety, and consistent ESG practices across its business verticals.

Blue Planet Environmental Solutions unveils landmark first Sustainability Report, sets FY24-FY26 ESG baseline

S Eldee



The real test of India’s social sector is not how many pilot projects we can launch, but how many of them survive long enough to become policy. For years, the story has been familiar: a promising NGO runs a small, donor‑funded experiment in a few districts; evaluations look good; then the money runs out, the team shrinks, and the model remains a footnote in a PowerPoint.



The recent trajectory of Lucknow‑based DEVI Sansthan — from a modest Zero Coupon Zero Principal (ZCZP) issue on the <a href="https://www.bseindia.com/SSE/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BSE Social Stock Exchange </a>to a three‑year Memorandum of Understanding with the Ladakh administration — hints at a different path: one where social finance, if designed well, can help turn pilots into public programmes.



<a href="https://www.csrvoice.com/post/social-stocks/devi-sansthan-social-stock-exchange-listing-foundational-learning/1608" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DEVI’s journey</a> began, in market terms, as a niche experiment. In June–July 2026, the organisation listed on the BSE Social Stock Exchange, raising about Rs 1.10 crore through ZCZP instruments priced at Rs 1 each, with a minimum ticket of just Rs 1,000. The pitch was simple: investors would not get interest or principal back; instead, their money would fund foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) programmes for tens of thousands of children in government schools, with impact tracked and reported under SEBI’s social exchange framework.



For a sector used to CSR cheques and foundation grants, this was novel: a regulated, transparent, retail‑accessible channel for “human returns” rather than financial ones.



What makes the Ladakh MoU, signed on 11 August 2026, significant is not just that a union territory chose an NGO partner, but that it chose one that had already tested its model in the market. Under the three‑year agreement, DEVI Sansthan will work with Ladakh’s School Education Department to strengthen FLN across the region, aligning with the national NIPUN Bharat mission’s goal that every child attain grade‑level reading and arithmetic by Class 3. In effect, capital raised through the Social Stock Exchange is being leveraged into a multi‑year, government‑backed scale‑up — exactly the transition that India’s education and social sectors desperately need.



This sequence — SSE issue first, government MoU later — matters for three reasons.



First, it shows that social stock exchanges can do more than raise money; they can de‑risk scale. When a government signs a multi‑year contract with an organisation that has already disclosed its finances, governance and impact metrics on a regulated platform, it reduces the information asymmetry that often stalls public procurement of social services. The SSE listing acts as a form of due diligence that is visible to citizens, donors and officials alike.



Second, it begins to solve the pilot paradox. India does not lack successful education pilots; it lacks mechanisms to move them from “project mode” to “system mode”. By allowing NPOs to raise patient, no‑repayment capital for specific outcomes, and then letting governments layer on longer‑term contracts, the SSE framework can help convert proof‑of‑concept into proof‑of‑scale. DEVI’s Ladakh deal is still early, but it is a template: market‑tested model, transparent reporting, then public adoption.



Third, it offers a new narrative for CSR and philanthropy. Instead of one‑off grants that vanish after a news cycle, corporate and individual investors can back organisations that are building towards government partnerships. The “exit” is not an IPO or acquisition, but a policy uptake — the moment when the state says: this works, we will fund it at scale. That is a far more durable form of impact than any annual report claim.



Of course, caution is necessary. A single MoU does not prove a trend; Ladakh’s unique administrative structure may not replicate easily in larger, more complex states. There are also risks: over‑financialisation of the social sector, excessive focus on easily measurable metrics at the cost of deeper learning, and the possibility that only a few well‑advised NGOs can navigate SEBI’s framework while smaller, grassroots groups are left behind. The Social Stock Exchange must remain a tool for mission, not a badge for marketing.



Yet, the direction is clear. If India is serious about fixing foundational learning, health, nutrition and livelihoods, it cannot rely on perpetual pilots funded by restless donors. It needs mechanisms that allow successful models to graduate into public systems with clarity on cost, quality and accountability. DEVI Sansthan’s path — from a Rs 1.10 crore ZCZP issue to a three‑year government partnership in Ladakh — is a small but telling sign that this graduation is possible.



The question now is whether other states, departments and donors are watching closely enough to replicate it.

From pilots to policy: what DEVI Sansthan’s Ladakh MoU tells us about social finance

<a href="https://www.pw.live" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PhysicsWallah (PW)</a> has launched the fourth edition of <a href="https://www.pwnsat.pw.live" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PWNSAT </a>2026, its national scholarship cum admission test, to help students prepare for JEE and NEET.



Registrations are free and open to students from Class V to XII, as well as Class XII pass-outs, in both PCM and PCB streams. Eligible candidates can secure scholarships covering up to 100% of tuition fees and cash prizes totaling up to INR 2.5 crore. The top 500 eligible students will also receive free education and hostel support.



PWNSAT 2026 will be held in online and offline modes. Online exams run from October 1 to 15, 2026. Offline tests take place on October 3, 4, 10 and 11, 2026 at PW Vidyapeeth, Pathshala and Tuition centres across India. Results will be announced later.



Alakh Pandey, Educator, Founder and CEO of PhysicsWallah, said: “Access to quality education should not be determined by a student’s financial circumstances. Through PWNSAT, we aim to support learners by reducing some of these barriers while providing academic guidance that can help them continue their preparation with confidence. We hope the initiative encourages more students across the country to pursue their aspirations without financial constraints becoming a limiting factor.”



Select high performers in PWNSAT 2026 will gain additional mentorship through the Exclusive Rankers’ Group to support their JEE and NEET preparation.



PhysicsWallah Limited, founded in 2020 by Alakh Pandey and Prateek Maheshwari and headquartered in Noida, offers online, offline and hybrid education programmes. The company listed on the NSE and BSE on November 18, 2025.

PWNSAT 2026: secure up to 100% scholarships for JEE, NEET

<a href="https://www.soschildrensvillages.in" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SOS Children&#8217;s Villages </a>India has launched its second Mobile Digital Learning Centre in the capital, in partnership with Informa Exhibitions India Pvt Ltd, part of <a href="https://www.informamarkets.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Informa Markets</a> in India, as part of efforts to expand digital literacy in underserved neighbourhoods.



Children from a vulnerable community in North-West Delhi boarded the bus, fitted with desktops and a projector screen, at the inauguration of the new Mobile Digital Learning Centre.



The initiative currently operates in three cities — Delhi, Pune and Raipur — reaching more than 800 beneficiaries, including 152 children. With the new centre, Delhi alone is targeting over 800 additional beneficiaries in the coming year.



The Mobile Digital Learning Centre programme provides free digital skills training, job-readiness support and confidence-building for youth and women from marginalised communities.



&#8220;Digital inclusion is a necessity for education, employability, and social mobility,&#8221; said Sumanta Kar, CEO of <a href="https://www.csrvoice.com/post/education/sos-childrens-villages-india-art-workshop-kiran-nadar-museum/1632" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SOS Children&#8217;s Villages India.</a>



&#8220;Through our Mobile Digital Learning Centres, we are taking technology directly to their neighbourhoods, ensuring that learning is not limited by geography or economic circumstances.&#8221;



Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director of Informa Markets in India, said the company&#8217;s continued partnership with SOS Children&#8217;s Villages India was helping expand access to digital learning and future-ready skills for children from vulnerable communities.



North-West Delhi was selected for the second Mobile Digital Learning Centre as the area is home to a large share of the capital&#8217;s estimated 60,000 street children, spread across roughly three lakh slum households in 675 clusters.



Officials said 45% of government school students in the area lack access to smartphones or stable internet, while 77% of youth in the area had no prior exposure to digital literacy.



The centre offers training across five areas: digital literacy, cyber safety, financial literacy, life skills and certified assessments. In its first year, the programme helped five beneficiaries secure job placements, enabled eight children to re-enrol in school, and facilitated 28 scholarship links and 32 links to higher studies.



The Mobile Digital Learning Centre initiative is part of a broader network run by SOS Children&#8217;s Villages India across seven states and eight cities, encompassing mobile units, standalone vocational training centres for ages 18-27, and after-school centres for ages 14-17. More than 2,610 young people participate in the programme annually.

SOS Children&#8217;s villages launches mobile digital learning bus

<a href="https://www.bosch.in" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bosch</a> India&#8217;s Spark of Joy event successfully raised funds for 17 projects across six cities, impacting over 5,000 underprivileged beneficiaries, the company said Thursday, marking another milestone for its employee-led social engagement initiative.



The event, organized through Primavera India, the company&#8217;s employee-led social engagement initiative, was themed &#8220;Bandhan – Celebrating Togetherness&#8221; and featured 14 performances spanning music, classical and contemporary dance, folk traditions, shadow art, neon effects and puppetry.



Bosch employees, including AI experts, hardware designers and assembly line staff, rehearsed after work hours for months to stage the performances, the company said, describing the initiative as proof that shared experiences unite people across roles.



&#8220;At Bosch, our &#8216;Invented for life&#8217; ethos extends beyond business to creating a positive social impact in the communities where we live and work,&#8221; said Guruprasad Mudlapur, President of the Bosch Group in India and Managing Director, Bosch Ltd.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://dashboard.csrvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/SOJ3-1024x576.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1764" srcset="https://dashboard.csrvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/SOJ3-1024x576.png 1024w, https://dashboard.csrvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/SOJ3-300x169.png 300w, https://dashboard.csrvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/SOJ3-768x432.png 768w, https://dashboard.csrvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/SOJ3-1536x864.png 1536w, https://dashboard.csrvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/SOJ3.png 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



&#8220;Initiatives like Spark of Joy show how employee-led initiatives can drive meaningful change, bringing people together for a shared purpose and support causes like education, healthcare, and skilling.&#8221;



Funds raised through this year&#8217;s Spark of Joy campaign will support 17 projects across six Indian cities, focused on improving access to education, healthcare, nutrition, rehabilitation and vocational training for underprivileged children, the company said.



Primavera India has operated as Bosch India&#8217;s employee-driven social engagement platform for more than 25 years, partnering with local non-profit organizations to support disadvantaged communities.

Bosch India&#8217;s Spark of Joy successfully raises funds for 17 projects

<a href="https://www.vedantalimited.com/vedantaFY25/transforming-the-planet.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vedanta Power</a> is scaling up biomass co-firing at its Talwandi Sabo Thermal Plant in Punjab, using agricultural waste as fuel, with the plant co-firing around 3.61 lakh metric tonnes (LT) of biomass in FY2025-26, equivalent to roughly 5.21% of its total fuel consumption, the company said.



By diverting paddy straw from open-field burning, the biomass co-firing initiative helps reduce pollution and harmful emissions associated with stubble burning, the company said in a statement.



The programme aims to create a productive use for paddy straw and build an organised supply chain for agricultural residue, offering farmers a way to derive value from crop residue previously treated largely as waste. It also provides an alternative to open-field burning during the harvest season.



The Talwandi Sabo plant, located in Mansa district, has been using biomass co-firing to convert paddy straw into energy. The process involves collection, baling, transportation and processing of agricultural residue before it is supplied to the power plant, linking farmers, biomass aggregators, logistics operators and the energy sector.



The move carries significance for Punjab, where seasonal management of paddy straw remains a key challenge. In Mansa district, reported stubble-burning incidents during the 2025 harvesting season fell by approximately 87% compared with 2023. More than 100 villages reported zero farm-fire incidents, while over 28,000 acres of farmland were protected from burning.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dashboard.csrvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Image-2-1-1024x683.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-1760" srcset="https://dashboard.csrvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Image-2-1-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https://dashboard.csrvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Image-2-1-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://dashboard.csrvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Image-2-1-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dashboard.csrvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Image-2-1.jpeg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



While the decline in farm fires reflects several factors, the availability of an organised biomass utilisation route offers farmers and other stakeholders an additional alternative to open-field disposal of crop residue.



&#8220;Biomass co-firing demonstrates how industrial demand can help create a market for agricultural residue and build a more organised value chain around it. By converting paddy straw into a productive source of energy, we are looking at the stubble challenge not only from an environmental perspective but also through the lens of economic value creation for rural communities,&#8221; said Rajinder Singh Ahuja, Chief Executive Officer, Vedanta Power.



The biomass programme has also spurred development of a rural supply chain around agricultural residue. Collection and aggregation create opportunities for local operators, while transportation and processing generate additional activity around the biomass ecosystem. For farmers, the initiative offers a potential avenue to derive value from paddy straw traditionally treated as waste.



&#8220;I am giving all my paddy straw to the biomass manufacturing plants so that this agricultural waste can be put to the best possible use. Instead of burning the straw in the fields, it is converted into environmentally friendly biomass pellets and used as fuel in thermal power plants. This helps prevent stubble burning, reduce air pollution, and improve the air quality of our region,&#8221; said Avtar Singh, a farmer from Raipur village in Mansa.



The model also supports the broader principle of a circular economy by recovering agricultural residue and converting it into useful fuel. For the power sector, biomass co-firing offers a way to integrate a renewable fuel source into existing thermal generation infrastructure while contributing to agricultural-residue management.



Vedanta Power is among the private power producers seeking to strengthen the role of alternative fuels and more efficient resource utilisation as India&#8217;s energy requirements continue to grow. The experience at Talwandi Sabo also underscores the potential for industry-led demand to complement government and community efforts to reduce crop-residue burning.



With greater participation from farmers, aggregators, local communities and other stakeholders, biomass-based utilisation of agricultural residue could emerge as a scalable model for regions facing similar stubble-management challenges.

Vedanta Power scales up biomass co-firing in Punjab

<a href="https://www.hclfoundation.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HCLFoundation</a>, which drives the corporate social responsibility agenda of <a href="https://www.hcltech.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HCLTech</a> in India, said on Tuesday it marked the 50th anniversary of HCL Group with a landmark <a href="https://www.csrvoice.com/post/news/hclfoundation-plants-over-47-000-saplings-across-india-to-support-a-sustainable-planet/480" target="_blank" rel="noopener">environmental drive</a>, planting 50,000 native saplings and organizing clean-up campaigns at 50 beaches nationwide.



The initiatives, spread across 10 states, brought together HCLTech employees and their families, nonprofit partners, women&#8217;s collectives, youth groups and community members, HCLFoundation said in a statement.



The drives form part of HCLFoundation&#8217;s broader sustainability push to strengthen ecosystems, conserve natural resources and encourage community participation in environmental stewardship, the organization said.



HCLFoundation said it has greened 74,000 acres of land to date, bringing the area under community management, while more than 155 billion liters of water have been harvested, supporting biodiversity and bolstering water security in some of India&#8217;s most water-stressed communities.



As part of its coastal conservation work, the Foundation said it has planted more than 181,000 saplings of terrestrial, mangrove and shelter belt species and collected over 120,800 kg of ghost nets and marine debris to date.



&#8220;As we celebrate 50 remarkable years of HCL Group, we are reminded every day that growth and progress are not separable from a deep commitment to a sustainable planet and resilient communities,&#8221; said Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Director, HCLFoundation. 



&#8220;We believe that meaningful change is achieved when communities come together with a shared purpose, and we are grateful to our employees, families, partners and volunteers for joining us in contributing to a greener, cleaner and more sustainable future.&#8221;



HCLFoundation delivers HCLTech&#8217;s corporate social responsibility agenda in India, investing in long-term programs focused on education, grassroots sports, health and sanitation, skill development and livelihood, environment, and disaster risk reduction. The Foundation said it has positively impacted more than 8.5 million lives to date.



HCLTech is a global technology company with more than 223,000 employees across 60 countries, offering services in AI, digital, engineering, cloud and software. The company reported consolidated revenues of $14.8 billion for the 12 months ended June 2026.

HCLFoundation marks landmark dreen drive for 50 years

The government has not carried out any assessment on the extent to which the newly introduced &#8220;Subscription to <a href="https://www.csrvoice.com/post/social-stocks/opinion-zczp-instrument-csr-social-stock-exchange-india-mca-amendment-2026/1568" target="_blank" rel="noopener">zero coupon zero principal (ZCZP) </a>instruments on Social Stock Exchange&#8221; is likely to boost the inflow of institutional capital into the social sector, Parliament was informed on Monday.



In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Harsh Malhotra said, &#8220;No such assessment has been conducted by the ministry.&#8221;



The <a href="https://www.mca.gov.in" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ministry of Corporate Affairs</a>, through a notification dated May 27, 2026, widened the ambit of Schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013, by introducing a new item — &#8220;Subscription to zero coupon zero principal instruments on Social Stock Exchange&#8221; — as an eligible Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity.



As per the amendment, a CSR-mandated company cannot subscribe to ZCZP instruments for more than 10 per cent of its total CSR expenditure for that financial year.



Malhotra said the move is intended to ease compliance for companies while helping not-for-profit organisations raise funds for public welfare projects &#8220;in a transparent and regulated manner.&#8221;



The <a href="https://www.csrvoice.com/post/undefined/zczp-tax-benefit-finance-ministry-social-stock-exchange/1571" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ZCZP</a> instrument, listed on the Social Stock Exchange, allows companies to channel CSR funds to eligible non-profits without expecting financial returns, aiming to formalise and bring greater transparency to social sector financing.

No assessment done on ZCZP instruments boosting CSR funds: Govt

standard

<a href="https://www.pwc.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PwC</a> India Foundation (PwCIF) said on Monday it continues to empower Sahariya women in Rajasthan&#8217;s Baran district, expanding sustainable livelihood programmes for the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group a year after floods devastated local crops.



The foundation, marking the International Day of World Indigenous Peoples, said the initiative has helped more than 90 smallholder families adopt natural farming and poultry rearing in Moga, while supporting over 325 flood-affected households in Tarn Taran to rebuild their livelihoods.



PwCIF Vice Chairman Jaivir Singh visited Baran to meet beneficiaries of the project, run in partnership with the Manjari Foundation, and toured vegetable cultivation, vermicomposting and goat-rearing initiatives across three villages.



&#8220;Our engagement with the Sahariya community reflects this commitment and our belief that inclusive development must leave no one behind,&#8221; Singh said, adding that the programme empowers Sahariya women to move from agricultural labour to independent income generation.



Manjari Foundation Executive Director Sanjay Sharma said the partnership has enabled the Sahariya community to build resilience and achieve greater income security, particularly among women-led households.



PwCIF said it also provides targeted support to single and widowed Sahariya women through goat rearing and sustainable farming, part of a broader push to empower vulnerable rural populations and strengthen long-term economic self-reliance.



PwC India operates in 136 countries with over 364,000 employees across audit, tax, legal, deals and consulting services, according to the company.

PwC Foundation empowers Sahariya women in Rajasthan

<a href="https://www.tatachemicals.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tata Chemicals</a> Society for Rural Development (TCSRD), the CSR arm of Tata Chemicals Limited, has launched a School Support Programme in Okhamandal in partnership with the Coastal Salinity Prevention Cell (CSPC), to address teacher shortages in government schools and strengthen education quality across the block.



While the Right to Education (RTE) Act mandates quality education for children from Classes 1 to 8, several government schools in Okhamandal require additional academic support to ensure continuity in classroom learning. To bridge this gap, TCSRD and CSPC have recruited and trained 120 local education volunteers who will provide academic support across primary and secondary schools.



The School Support Programme includes:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>40 Primary School Volunteers to support government primary schools facing teacher shortages</li>



<li>44 Remedial Education Volunteers to strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy</li>



<li>16 High School Educators to provide Mathematics and Science support for Classes 9 and 10</li>



<li>13 Re-enrolment and NIOS Instructors to help out-of-school children and youth continue their education through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)</li>



<li>7 Academic Enhancement Educators to strengthen the overall learning environment across villages</li>
</ul>



The programme was formally launched on August 4, 2026, at Sabras Bhavan, Mithapur, in the presence of Pabubha Virambha Manek, Member of the Legislative Assembly, Devbhumi Dwarka; Madhuben Bhatt, District Primary Education Officer; R. V. Odedra, Taluka Development Officer, Devbhumi Dwarka; Bharatbhai Karmata, Vice President, Dwarka Taluka Panchayat; Bhurabha Jadiya, Block Resource Centre Coordinator; Aashaben Parmar, Taluka Education Coordinator; and Rino Raj, Vice President Manufacturing, India, Tata Chemicals Ltd.



&#8220;At Tata Chemicals, we believe quality education is fundamental to long-term community development. Through this partnership, we aim to ensure that students continue to receive uninterrupted learning support while creating opportunities for local youth to contribute to the education ecosystem,&#8221; Raj said, adding that the initiative is expected to strengthen schools and encourage more children to stay connected with education.



The School Support Programme reflects TCSRD&#8217;s continued focus on improving access to quality education through collaborative, community-led interventions, the company said, adding that the initiative aims to build a stronger learning ecosystem for children across Okhamandal by working closely with local institutions and government schools.



CSPC is a specialized resource organization focused on mitigating coastal salinity, supporting land and water resource management, and enhancing rural livelihoods across coastal Gujarat.



TCSRD is the social development arm of Tata Chemicals, working on livelihoods, women&#8217;s empowerment, education, healthcare and sustainability to build resilient rural communities across India.



Tata Chemicals Limited, part of the over USD 180 billion Tata Group, is a leading supplier to the glass, detergent, industrial and chemical sectors, with a strong position in crop protection through subsidiary Rallis India Limited.

Tata Chemicals launches school support programme in Gujarat

<a href="https://bankofbaroda.bank.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bank of Baroda </a>on Wednesday donated Rs 1.20 crore to the Chief Minister&#8217;s Relief Fund, Assam, boosting relief and rehabilitation efforts for communities hit by recent floods in the state.



The cheque was presented to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at the Chief Minister&#8217;s Office in Guwahati by Nayak Shiba Pada, General Manager and Zonal Head, Northeastern States Zone, Bank of Baroda.



MLA Naba Doley, along with Deputy General Managers Biswajit Swain and Sandeep Kumar of Bank of Baroda&#8217;s Northeastern States Zone, also attended the event.



&#8220;At Bank of Baroda, we believe that our responsibility extends beyond banking. In times of adversity, it is our collective duty to stand with the communities we serve,&#8221; Pada said, adding that the contribution reflects the bank&#8217;s commitment to helping affected families rebuild their lives.



The donation forms part of Bank of Baroda&#8217;s broader efforts to support relief and rehabilitation initiatives in regions hit by natural disasters, the bank said, adding it continues to work with governments and local administrations to strengthen community resilience.



Bank of Baroda, founded in 1908, is majority owned by the Government of India with a 63.97% stake. It serves close to 180 million customers through roughly 65,000 touch points across 15 countries.

Bank of Baroda donates Rs 1.20 crore for Assam flood relief

AWL Agri Business Limited, one of India&#8217;s largest food and FMCG companies, said on Tuesday it has strengthened its partnership with The Akshaya Patra Foundation by donating five custom-built insulated food distribution vehicles to support the Foundation&#8217;s Mid-Day Meal Programme.



The company has also committed to sponsoring nutritious mid-day meals for more than 41,000 children studying in government schools across Gandhinagar, it said. The initiative was marked by a vehicle flag-off ceremony held at the company&#8217;s corporate headquarters.



The five customized insulated vehicles will enable the safe and timely delivery of freshly prepared meals to government schools across Surat, Gandhinagar, and Vadodara, strengthening the Foundation&#8217;s ability to provide nutritious meals to children every school day, the company said.



&#8220;At AWL Agri Business, we believe that good nutrition is the foundation of a child&#8217;s health, education and future,&#8221; said Shrikant Kanhere, Managing Director &amp; CEO, AWL Agri Business Ltd. &#8220;We are delighted to further strengthen our partnership with The Akshaya Patra Foundation through this initiative, which combines infrastructure support with direct nutritional assistance to children.&#8221;



Sri Raya Rama Dasa, Vice President of The Akshaya Patra Foundation, Gujarat, said the vehicles and meal sponsorship would strengthen the organization&#8217;s ability to serve children more efficiently. &#8220;Together, these efforts will help us combat classroom hunger, improve school attendance and help more children to learn and thrive,&#8221; he said.



The partnership builds on a long-standing association between the two organizations. To date, AWL Agri Business has served more than 700,000 mid-day meals to school children and provided 14 food delivery vehicles, covering more than 27,000 children across 129 schools, the company said.



The Mid-Day Meal Programme initiative also supports Fortune SuPoshan, AWL&#8217;s flagship CSR programme addressing malnutrition and anaemia among women and children, the company said.



<a href="https://www.awl.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AWL Agri Business Ltd</a>., formerly known as Adani Wilmar Ltd., is one of India&#8217;s largest food and FMCG companies, with more than 80 manufacturing facilities across 11 states, including what it says is India&#8217;s largest single-location refinery, located in Mundra with a 5,000-tonne-per-day capacity. Its Fortune brand reaches more than 135 million households, the company said.

AWL Agri Business strengthens mid-day meal programme with new vehicles, meal sponsorship

<a href="https://drreddysfoundation.org/" data-type="link" data-id="https://drreddysfoundation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr Reddy&#8217;s Foundation</a> &#8212; a family-owned trust and one of the key beneficiaries of the CSR funds of pharma major Dr Reddy&#8217;s Laboratories &#8212; is scaling up operations at its Hyderabad soil testing facility with the lab targeting between 75,000 and 1,00,000 samples ahead of the next Rabi season &#8212; more than double what it processed in its first full year of operations.



The move comes amid growing concern over depleting soil health and implementation gaps in the Centre&#8217;s <a href="https://soilhealth.dac.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Soil Health Card scheme </a>rolled out nationally in 2015. &#8220;Though the government&#8217;s soil testing ecosystem exists, the scale of the problem is huge. So we decided to address this issue in our own way,&#8221; said <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Suman-Saraswathibatla-2274443950" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Suman Saraswathibatla</a>, Director (Rural Livelihoods and Climate Action) at the <a href="https://www.csrvoice.com/post/agri-food/andhra-farmers-beat-el-nino-with-direct-seeded-rice-dsr-farming/1635" target="_blank" rel="noopener">foundation</a>.



This soil testing facility is central to the Foundation&#8217;s broader soil health and regenerative agriculture programme, under which assessing soil condition is treated as the starting point for any intervention.



The push for an in-house facility followed nearly seven years of the Foundation&#8217;s own effort to find a reliable soil-testing solution, Saraswathibatla told PTI. &nbsp;



It approached Krishi Vigyan Kendras, agricultural universities, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), CGIAR institutions, and private players offering portable soil-testing devices — but found none of them adequate.



&#8220;If accuracy is there, then consistency is an issue. If consistency is there, accuracy is an issue,&#8221; he said, adding that the wet chemistry-based lab infrastructure needed for reliable analysis was &#8220;so broken and so under-equipped&#8221; that proper soil sample analysis at scale was simply not possible.



A 2023 experience proved to be the turning point. The Foundation sent 5,000 soil samples to one of the global research institutes for analysis — and waited a full year for results, by which time two cropping seasons had already passed.



&#8220;Two seasons are over. I am talking about 5,000 soil samples,&#8221; Saraswathibatla said. &#8220;If I need to develop a digital soil map, 5,000 is sufficient for four villages — one block. We are talking about so many lakhs of blocks. So where is the solution?&#8221;



With no institutional option delivering at the scale or speed required, the Foundation decided to build its own facility.



FROM PILOT TO SCALE The Hyderabad lab became operational in January 2025. In its first year, it processed 20,000 soil samples as the Foundation validated its standard operating procedures. This year, the facility has already analysed more than 40,000 samples across India, with the Foundation targeting between 75,000 and 1 lakh samples ahead of the next Rabi season.



The facility is not restricted to the Foundation&#8217;s own project villages — external users like researchers and government, can also access its services, Saraswathibatla said.



The testing facility examines three categories of soil properties — physical, chemical, and biological — each requiring different reassessment cycles.



Physical properties like texture stay stable for 10–20 years, though bulk density and aggregation shift with management. Chemical properties like pH and organic carbon —need reassessment every 2–3 years under intensive cultivation. Biological properties rre most management-sensitive, annual or seasonal (6–12 month) testing usually suffices under stable cropping systems.



Most testing programs, including government ones, focus on 12–14 chemical indicators: N, P, K, secondary nutrients (S, Ca, Mg), micronutrients (Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, B), plus pH, EC, and organic carbon. &#8220;These parameters underpin site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) but often miss biological functioning and physical resilience,&#8221; Saraswathibatla said.



The push to scale up soil sampling this year has been driven partly by a combination of El Nino conditions and a fertiliser shortage, which has heightened the need for precise, data-backed fertiliser recommendations, according to Saraswathibatla.



While government advisories typically provide General Recommended Dosage (GRD) at the district level, there is a growing shift toward finer-scale recommendations. Saraswathibatla said the Foundation is developing village-level nutrient advisories based on stratified sampling (e.g., 20–50 representative samples per village, depending on soil heterogeneity) that can significantly improve recommendation accuracy for clusters of farms.



Farmers also receive extension support—training in balanced fertilization, integrated nutrient management, and climate-smart practices—which Saraswathibatla said is key to converting soil data into better soil health, carbon sequestration, and resilience.



A BIOLOGICAL FIX FOR FERTILISER RESIDUE The Foundation is separately partnering with a biological startup to introduce an NPK-soluble bacterium consortium — a packaged or bottled formulation designed to mobilise residual nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium that has built up in soil from years of fertiliser application, making these nutrients available to plants again.



&#8220;It is not like we have done it. It is there — it is a proven science solution,&#8221; Saraswathibatla said. &#8220;But it is more about we have to really, really pack it and take it to the farmer.&#8221;



The intervention, he said, is aimed at both risk mitigation and farmer safety — helping ensure balanced fertiliser use while recovering value from nutrients already present in the soil.



MOU WITH ICAR-IISS Last month, <a href="https://iiss.res.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science</a>, Bhopal signed an MoU with the Foundation to deepen collaboration on soil health research and technology transfer.



The partnership will focus on building a Digital Soil Health Repository, high-resolution soil maps, nutrient management tools, cropping system modelling, and climate-smart advisories, combining ICAR&#8217;s scientific expertise with the Foundation&#8217;s field experience to advance data-driven soil management and precise fertiliser use — with a particular focus on supporting small and marginal farmers.



Source: PTI

Dr Reddy&#8217;s Foundation soil testing lab set to hit 1-lakh sample mark ahead of 2026 rabi season

A River Lift Irrigation initiative led by <a href="https://www.csrvoice.com/post/environment/ambuja-cement-foundation-ties-up-with-slb-to-implement-women-water-program-in-barmer/498" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ambuja Foundation </a>has transformed farming livelihoods for more than 5,700 farmers across 23 villages in Farakka, Murshidabad district, West Bengal.



The foundation, working with partners, installed 25 River Lift Irrigation systems covering nearly 747 hectares of farmland, addressing chronic water scarcity that had confined local agriculture to a single crop cycle, the Foundation said in a statement.



The River Lift Irrigation systems draw water from a nearby river, lift it to higher elevations and distribute it through an underground pipeline network, minimizing land loss and reducing maintenance costs compared with conventional <a href="https://www.csrvoice.com/post/water/ambuja-marwar-mundwa-water-security-2025/1169" target="_blank" rel="noopener">irrigation infrastructure,</a> according to the foundation.



To sustain the project, <a href="https://www.csrvoice.com/post/environment/ambuja-cement-foundation-ties-up-with-slb-to-implement-women-water-program-in-barmer/498" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ambuja Foundation </a>established Water User Groups in all 23 villages to manage operations, finances and maintenance, while engaging local pump operators to keep the systems running. The community-led model generates enough revenue to cover operational costs and wages, while building surplus funds for future upkeep, the foundation said.



The River Lift Irrigation project has lifted cropping intensity in the region from 100% to 250%, while irrigation efficiency has improved by nearly 30%, the foundation said. Farmers who previously grew a single paddy crop are now cultivating Rabi crops such as mustard, wheat and maize, alongside vegetables including cabbage, cauliflower, potato and tomato, enabling two to three harvests a year.



The economic impact has been significant. Average annual income per acre in the project area has risen to between 80,000 rupees and 150,000 rupees, from 25,000-30,000 rupees before the systems were installed, marking more than a twofold increase, the foundation said. Agricultural land values in the area have also climbed by nearly 20%, strengthening household assets.



&#8220;Ambuja Foundation is committed to bring a meaningful change in rural India. Therefore, we supported rural communities in Farakka with River Lift Irrigation systems which allow families to secure sustainable livelihoods within their own villages,&#8221; said Chandrakant Kumbhani, CEO of Ambuja Foundation. 



&#8220;We look forward to collaborating on more projects under our sustainable agriculture program to strengthen and support rural communities on their journey toward economic resilience.&#8221;



The initiative forms part of Ambuja Foundation&#8217;s broader sustainable agriculture program aimed at improving rural incomes and water resource management across India.

River lift irrigation empowers 5,700 farmers in Bengal

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday urged Indian corporations to expand CSR in agriculture, calling on industry leaders to channel a share of their profits into farmer welfare, rural development and agricultural research.



Speaking at the CSR Conclave 2026, organised by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in New Delhi, Chouhan said companies have a duty to act as &#8220;trustees&#8221; of national wealth rather than mere profit-makers, invoking Mahatma Gandhi&#8217;s philosophy of trusteeship.



&#8220;While the nation provides opportunities for growth, it is the responsibility of industry to become an active partner in nation-building,&#8221; Chouhan said, adding that research must move beyond laboratories to directly benefit farmers.



The minister strongly urged companies to prioritise climate-resilient farming, soil health, nutrition-secure food systems, and skill development for rural youth and women. He cited jute-processing technology as an example of innovation that needs faster commercialisation with private-sector backing.



Chouhan also urged support for agri-tech startups, drone-pilot training, and women-led initiatives such as &#8220;Drone Didi,&#8221; describing rural women&#8217;s self-help groups as central to the next wave of agricultural entrepreneurship.



While Indian law mandates that companies spend 2% of profits on CSR, Chouhan said the obligation should be viewed as a moral commitment rather than a legal formality. &#8220;True life belongs to the one who gives life to others,&#8221; he said.



The event at the Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam Auditorium was also attended by Ministers of State Ramnath Thakur and Bhagirath Choudhary, alongside senior ICAR officials and corporate representatives.

Chouhan urges industry to boost CSR in agriculture

<a href="https://www.hclfoundation.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HCLFoundation</a>, the corporate social responsibility arm of <a href="https://www.hcltech.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HCLTech</a>, on Tuesday said it hosted the eighth edition of the Sports for Change National Finals 2026 at Gautam Buddha University, bringing together 600 young athletes from 15 states over three days.



The Sports for Change National Finals empower grassroots talent by giving underserved children a platform to compete at the national level, the foundation said in a statement. 



The three-day event featured 300 boys and 300 girls who had qualified through district, state and zonal competitions in football, kabaddi, volleyball, kho kho, archery, badminton and table tennis.



Participants represented states and union territories including Uttar Pradesh, Ladakh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, West Bengal, Assam, Sikkim and Nagaland, the foundation said.



&#8220;At HCLFoundation, we believe every child, regardless of their socio-economic background, deserves the opportunity to discover their potential and pursue their aspirations,&#8221; said Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Senior Vice President, Global CSR at HCLTech and Director of HCLFoundation. 



&#8220;By nurturing grassroots talent and fostering an environment where young athletes are encouraged to dream bigger, build resilience and strive for excellence, we hope the National Finals inspire every participant to realize that their circumstances need not define their future.&#8221;



The Sports for Change programme has reached more than 74,000 children and youth across India since inception, including 474 para-athletes, the foundation said.



More than 12,000 young athletes took part in this year&#8217;s competitions, and over 30 sports scholarships covering coaching, equipment, nutrition and training access will be awarded to top performers.



The initiative has enabled more than 490 athletes to advance to national-level competitions, with 38 going on to represent India internationally, the foundation said. 



Notable alumni include badminton player Jerlin Anika, sprinter Preeti Pal, rugby player Akshaya, powerlifter Rajkumari and chess player Kanishri.



HCLFoundation said it has positively impacted more than 8.5 million lives to date through programmes focused on education, grassroots sports, health, sanitation, skill development, livelihood and environmental initiatives. 



HCLTech, its parent company, employs more than 223,000 people across 60 countries and reported consolidated revenues of USD 14.8 billion for the 12 months ended June 2026.

HCLFoundation&#8217;s Sports for Change National Finals empower 600 athletes

<a href="https://www.vedantaironandsteellimited.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vedanta Iron and Steel Limited (VISL)</a> said on World Youth Skills Day that its skilling programmes have reached more than 100,000 people across India, as part of a broader push to build a future-ready workforce through technical education, digital learning, entrepreneurship and sports development.



The VISL Skilling Initiatives, aligned with this year&#8217;s World Youth Skills Day theme of &#8220;Skills for a Shared Future,&#8221; span operations in Goa, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Odisha, the company said.



In Goa, the Sesa Technical School has trained more than 2,100 youth over three decades with a near 100% placement record, the company said, adding that the programme places particular emphasis on encouraging girls to pursue technical training. In Bokaro, the Vedanta ESL Skill School has trained over 700 youth since 2022 in trades including solar photovoltaic installation and home appliance repair, with more than 400 placed in formal sector jobs.



The company also operates 25 Vedanta Computer Centres and Computer Labs across Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka, alongside learning hubs under Project AAS Vidyalaya in rural Jharkhand. Combined, the digital literacy initiatives have benefited more than 80,000 students and young people, the company said.



&#8220;The youth of our Nation are the driving force behind India&#8217;s growth story, and investing in their skills is an investment in the nation&#8217;s future,&#8221; said Pankaj Kumar Sharma, Chief Executive Officer of VISL.



 &#8220;At VISL, our approach to skilling goes beyond employment by enabling aspiration, nurturing potential and creating pathways to long-term socio-economic progress,&#8221; he said in a statement.



Sports development remains a core pillar of the company&#8217;s youth outreach. The Sesa Football Academy in Goa has produced over 230 graduates through its residential training programme, including 14 international players, while engaging more than 8,000 young footballers through grassroots initiatives. 



Its men&#8217;s and women&#8217;s teams compete in national leagues including I-League3 and the Indian Women&#8217;s League. Separately, the Vedanta ESL Archery Academy in Bokaro has trained more than 50 young archers who have collectively won over 200 medals at district, state and national competitions.



On women&#8217;s economic empowerment, the company&#8217;s Project JIVIKA has supported more than 280 self-help groups and benefited nearly 4,000 women across five states through vocational training in tailoring, handicrafts, mushroom farming and footwear manufacturing.



VISL operates iron ore and steelmaking assets across India and Liberia, including Sesa Iron Ore, ESL Steel Limited and Western Cluster Limited, alongside associated industrial businesses.

VISL skilling initiatives transform 1 lakh lives in India

<a href="https://www.belstar.in" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Belstar Microfinance</a> Limited, a subsidiary of <a href="https://www.muthootfinance.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Muthoot Finance </a>Limited, had donated a Maruti Eeco van to Anandam Trust, a home for senior citizens, as part of a community outreach programme aimed at improving emergency healthcare access for elderly residents.



The Belstar Microfinance Van Donation will help more than 110 elderly residents at the trust reach nearby hospitals quickly during medical emergencies, the company said in a statement.



 Anandam Trust also runs daily tuition classes for underprivileged schoolchildren with learning difficulties, and the vehicle will additionally be used to transport students between locations.



Company executives said timely access to transport can be critical for elderly residents without family support or independent income, and that the initiative reflects Belstar&#8217;s broader focus on community welfare beyond its core lending business.



&#8220;At Belstar, we believe that meaningful progress extends beyond financial services and is reflected in the positive difference we create in the communities around us,&#8221; said J. Balakrishnan, Whole Time Director and Chief Executive Officer of Belstar Microfinance Limited. 



&#8220;Supporting initiatives that address essential needs, especially for senior citizens, is a step towards building stronger and more caring communities.&#8221;



Bhageerathy Ramamoorthy, Managing Trustee of Anandam Trust, thanked Belstar Microfinance and its leadership for the contribution, saying the van would directly support the healthcare and emergency transportation needs of residents at Anandam Old Age Home.



Belstar Microfinance, ranked among India&#8217;s top 10 NBFC-MFIs, holds an &#8220;AA/Stable&#8221; credit rating from CRISIL and operates across 19 states and two union territories, offering micro-enterprise, education, consumer and emergency loans, along with gold loans in select southern states. 



The company said its business model follows a double bottom line approach, balancing financial performance with social impact, particularly through women&#8217;s economic empowerment.

Belstar Microfinance empowers Anandam Trust with van

<a href="https://up.gov.in" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Uttar Pradesh </a>Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday stressed the critical importance of tree plantation, warning that indiscriminate felling could trigger water shortages and food grain crises.



“A single tree absorbs and retains thousands of litres of water. Rivers remain perennial only where there are forests or a large number of trees,” Adityanath said after planting a Maulsari sapling along the Tal Ring Road near RKBK as part of the <a href="https://up.gov.in/paudharopan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paudharopan Mahayagya 2026</a> campaign themed ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’.



He noted that environmental imbalance disrupts rainfall patterns, harming farmers, and called on every citizen to not only plant but also protect saplings to restore ecological balance.



The state government has set an ambitious target of planting 35 crore saplings in a single day, supported by over 57 lakh nurseries. Adityanath said robust protection measures have already led to visible increases in forest cover.



“Expressing gratitude is a hallmark of Indian culture. Through large-scale tree plantation, we can secure a brighter future for generations to come,” he added.



Adityanath also admired the scenic beauty of Ramgarh Tal and took a selfie at the site.



Present on the occasion were MP Ravi Kishan Shukla, Mayor Dr. Manglesh Srivastava, MLC Dr. Dharmendra Singh, and other BJP leaders and councillors.

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath leads 35cr tree plantation drive

<a href="https://up.gov.in/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Uttar Pradesh</a> will launch a massive plantation drive on July 12, aiming to plant 35 crore saplings in a single day as part of the state&#8217;s Vriksharopan Mahabhiyan 2026 campaign, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Friday.



Reviewing preparations via video conference, the CM said the Uttar Pradesh plantation drive was intended to function as a public movement rather than a routine government exercise, with success measured by sapling survival rather than volume planted alone, an official statement said.



The state has set a target of raising green cover to 15% by 2030 and 20% by 2047, the statement said. To meet that goal, authorities plan to plant 35 crore saplings annually over the next five years, a pace they say could help absorb nearly 72 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.



The CM directed departments to complete verification of plantation sites, ensure sapling availability, carry out geo-tagging and arrange irrigation ahead of the drive. He called for participation from citizens, students, farmers, elected representatives and voluntary organisations.



Officials from the departments of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Rural Development, Agriculture, Horticulture, Panchayati Raj, Revenue and Urban Development presented their action plans during the review.



The CM also directed that beneficiaries of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme be linked to the campaign, and said a mix of fruit-bearing, shade-giving, medicinal and timber species should be planted.



State data show Uttar Pradesh added about 3.38 lakh acres of forest and tree cover between 2017 and 2023, with total cover rising to 9.96% from 9.18% over that period. The state has planted 242 crore saplings since 2017, compared with 51.48 crore between 2009 and 2016, according to the review.



The campaign also includes several themed initiatives — Mission Chhaya, Samaras Van, Samriddhi Van, City Van, Kapi Van, Maharshi Charak Aushadhi Van, Urja Van, Pauranik Van and Aviral Dhara Van — designed to support biodiversity, reduce heat stress and promote agroforestry across the state.