Reliance spends Rs 1,140 Cr under CSR initiatives in 2020-21

Reliance Industries Ltd spent Rs 1,140 crore in the fiscal ending March 2021 on corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives including COVID-19 support, rural transformation, education, health, sports and disaster response.

According to the company's latest annual report, Reliance had spent Rs 1,022 crore in 2019-20 on CSR initiatives.

Joining India's fight against the pandemic, Reliance provided healthcare, medical-grade liquid oxygen, meals and masks over the last one year.

It repurposed its Jamnagar plant to provide 1,000 tonnes oxygen per day free of cost to states, meeting the needs of nearly one lakh patients per day.

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The firm distributed more than 5.5 crore meals to over 27 lakh beneficiaries, supported 2,300+ beds for COVID care and treatment across locations including setting up of India's first COVID hospital in Mumbai, distributed 81 lakh reusable masks to 50 lakh frontline warriors and essential service providers across 21 states and 2 Union Territories and provided 5.5 lakh litres of free fuel to 14,000+ notified ambulances and vehicles engaged in COVID-19 services across 249 districts in 18 states.

A manufacturing facility in Silvassa, Gujarat was ramped up to produce 1,00,000 PPE kits and masks every day to serve frontline workers, the report said.

On rural transformation, it created 131 lakh cubic meters of water harvesting capacity trained 10,000-plus elected representatives and village volunteers to strengthen local governance, trained 8,800 unemployed and supported 39 skilling partners across 20 states and 150+ cities.

On healthcare, Reliance provided 2.3 lakh health consultations though Mobile Medical Units (MMUs), Static Medical Units (SMUs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs), it said.

It supported an array of educational initiatives, spanning primary, secondary and tertiary education. Jio Institute set up as a 'Greenfield Institute of Eminence' startup campus spread across 52 acres land and 3,60,000 sq ft constructed buildings at Ulwe, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra is ready to commence academic sessions in 2021.

It launched Reliance Foundation Scholarships in Artificial Intelligence and Computer Sciences, imparted 4,100 hours of training to 763 teachers and 116 non-teaching staff of Reliance Foundation Schools on technology platforms and upgraded 75 government schools and 221 master trainers trained in Madhya Pradesh.

Reliance Foundation (RF) - the philanthropic arm of RIL - promoted sports as a medium to encourage learning and build leadership among the children and youth of India. Since inception, Reliance's sporting initiatives have reached 2.15 crore youngsters across the country through fitness training, nutrition and coaching.

Currently, Reliance is supporting 11 athletes across archery, athletics, badminton and weightlifting to improve India's prospects at the Olympic Games and other prestigious international sporting events.

On disaster response, it provided pre/post-cyclone advisories in coordination with authorised government departments and local administration during cyclones Amphan, Nisarga, Burevi and Nivar. Pre-and post-flood support was provided for 20,000+ individuals following Godavari floods on crop disease management.

Post Uttarakhand floods, RF stood with disaster response teams providing meals to 250 persons besides dry ration kits to 150 families.

At the veterinary hospital, Padana, 4,818 animals were provided healthcare. RF arranged fodder for livestock in rural areas and grain feed for birds, partnering with NGOs to distribute food for stray animals across India, the report added.