Corporate social responsiveness to water issues for rural empowerment
Student name: Mr Manish Narula
Guide: Ms Ranjana Ray Chaudhuri
Year of completion: 2014
Host Organisation: Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Ms Ruchi Gupta
Abstract: Water conservation and its distribution to the rural areas of the country is vital not only required
for human consumption but also in achieving sustainable development where people suffering
from non availability of Water. It becomes an opportunity for businesses to utilize their resources
under the ambit of Corporate Social Responsibility towards facilitating safe drinking water to the
people besides many aspects of rural empowerment can be addressed. The objective of the study
is to assess such opportunity and to cater the needs of the village community by implementing
water conservation technologies such as roof top rain harvesting systems, dug wells, bore wells.
The sanitation and hygiene is another major concern in rural areas which can be resolved by
providing clean drinking water and creating awareness related to better hygiene practices. A
comprehensive need assessment survey of areas which are suffering from water crisis is done to
propose CSR interventions such that these can be replicated all over the country. Economic
analysis of CSR activities and the associated benefits will assist in implementation of sustainable
water management practices in the country through CSR funds. The outcome of the study will be
a CSR model which can be applied in areas where people are suffering due to non availability of
safe drinking water and sanitation problems; thus empowering women, reducing girl child
dropouts & water borne related medical cases, etc, thereby providing the rural population the
opportunity to keep pace with sustainable development.
Key words:
Sustainable Development
Corporate Social Responsibility
Rural Empowerment
Water Conservation
Sanitation
