Farmers’ Development In Odisha’s Angul: CSR & Sustainability Award For Jindal Steel & Power

Bhubaneswar: Jindal Steel & Power (JSP) has been conferred the CSR & Sustainability Award 2024 in Water Conservation and Management category.

This award acknowledges JSP’s contribution towards development of farmers in Odisha’s Angul through integrated watershed management projects in collaboration with NABARD. JSP’s social arm JSP Foundation implemented the projects.

The award was presented during the National Conclave on Impactful Sustainable Business Practices, held in New Delhi on February 15.

Under the leadership of chairman Naveen Jindal, JSP has made substantial strides in natural resource management and agriculture development under the company’s CSR in Tubey, Kulei, Derjang, Maratira and Madhiamunda villages of Angul district. Two watershed catchments have been developed and managed, which has enhanced quality of lives of over 5000 farming families.

The physical topography and drainage lines treated in watershed projects at Derjang and Tubey resulted in minimising soil erosion, maximising groundwater recharge, and, consequently enhancing agricultural production, productivity and cash income.

The watershed projects, launched in 2012 in collaboration with NABARD, have enhanced the soil moisture in the catchment area.

New cash crop varieties have been introduced, as local farmers have changed from monocrop to double and triple crop, and resorted to cultivation of cash crops.

All these have led to reversing migration and boosting attendance of school children while elevating farmers’ income from Rs 1.5 lakh to more than Rs 5.5 lakh per annum.

JSP Foundation has also facilitated formation of multiple Farmers Producer Organisations (FPO) in the villages, thereby empowerment local farmers.

“We at JSP believe in sustainable improvement of the eco system of the local community, and these watershed initiatives showcase our commitment to promoting economic prosperity for farmers while also protecting our environment,” said JSP Foundation’s Chairperson Shallu Jindal.