Committed to improving the quality of life for impoverished communities, Syngenta India has decided to make electricity available to over 57 hamlets, benefitting more than 6500 poor people in the Harda district of Madhya Pradesh.
Syngenta India will spend Rs 2.5 crore to take the electricity project to its logical conclusion. The project was inaugurated by Agriculture Minister Kamal Patel.
Hailing Syngenta India’s CSR move, Madhya Pradesh Agriculture Minister Kamal Patel said that access to affordable electricity is essential for improving the quality of life for impoverished communities. He said it enables access to basic necessities like lighting, cooking, and communication, fostering economic development and educational opportunities.
“CSR initiatives from corporate entities such as Syngenta India ensuring electricity to deprived sections of society would go a long way in addressing energy, poverty and promoting sustainable development,” said Patel, adding that even in the past during the Covid-19 pandemic, Syngenta India extended help to ameliorate the people’s woes during one of the most challenging times faced by humanity in recent memory.
The agriculture minister said Syngenta also came forward and distributed 100 hospital beds to the district hospital in Harda two years back. Once again Syngenta has come forward to support the government by announcing Rs 2.5 crore assistance for the project of rural electrification of more than 57 hamlets in Harda that will benefit more than 6500 people.
Dr KC Ravi, Chief Sustainability Officer, Syngenta India said that the initiative will particularly empower the women to undertake activities to supplement their family income and will prove a boon for children who can now study at night and those who take online classes.
“The farmers will be able to run pumps for irrigating their fields and also water can be made available in houses saving the womenfolk the time and labour spent on fetching water for household chores and cooking,” added Dr Ravi.
Dr Ravi said, “I am extremely happy to recall and inform you all that in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, Syngenta India dedicated a CT scan centre at Ambah Civil Hospital in Morena district with a cost of over Rs 2.0 crore, which benefitted 815 villages and several thousands of people.”
“So far more than 1200 people have availed the benefit of CT scan machines and saved Rs 60 lakh on testing fees compared to private facilities. The installation has also saved the patients their time and money on travel,” he added.
Susheel Kumar, MD and Country Head, Syngenta India reflected that Syngenta has been continuously supporting the rural communities in Madhya Pradesh in several districts. They regularly hold classes and workshops for farmers on the safe use of agrochemicals and other agronomical practices. The company has always come forward in times of adversity to help the rural communities and those in need like distribution of safety kits, medicines, groceries, etc in times of flood or drought or any other calamity.
Durga Das, MP, Betul-Harda was also present on the occasion. Among the other prominent people present on the occasion were Gajendra Shah, President, District Panchayat, Harda; Amar Singh Meena, District President; Bharathi Raju Kamedia, President, Municipal Council; Darshan Singh Gehlot, Vice President, District Panchayat; Anshul Aggarwal, Vice President, Municipal Council. Namit Tiwari, Divisional Manager; Pankaj Chugh, Divisional, Marketing Lead; Gajraj Rathore, Business Manager and Surajban Rajbhar, Territory Manager among other dignitaries were also present.
