Anil Agarwal Foundation pledges Rs 5,000 crore for rural India

Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta Group on Thursday announced a Rs 5,000 crore social impact programme with focus on nutrition, women and child development, healthcare, animal welfare and grass root level sports, including investments in a Corona-free village project across several states to combat the pandemic.

Anil Agarwal Foundation (AAF) will be the umbrella entity of Vedanta’s social initiatives provide all-round development to work towards these goals over the next five years, said the company in a release.

KPMG will be a strategic partner of AAF in implementing this massive programme.

The ‘Swasth Gaon Abhiyaan’ initiative will be a mega project which will enhance ‘immunity in community’ to ensure minimum impact of Covid, as part of their overall objective of providing social development and infrastructure as an essential service to the nation.

Anil Agarwal has already pledged to give 75 percent of his wealth towards social good and upliftment of the masses.

In addition, the program will also enhance job opportunities, reskill the youth and help bring in stability and progress.

“We aim to strengthen our efforts and facilitate sustainable and inclusive growth, which is the need of the hour to protect and provide for our communities. 

The Swasth Gaon Abhiyaan initiative is the first step in our journey to provide end to end healthcare solutions across the rural landscape covering 1000 villages. This program will also complement Vedanta’s flagship Nand Ghar project which aims to impact 70 million children and 20 million women,” Agarwal said.

London-based Agarwal was addressing the media via virtual platform today.

The Foundation plans to support and strengthen healthcare services across 1,000 villages within 24 districts and 12 states in the country, impacting over two million lives.

The initiative will follow a model of interventions at the district level, such as Oxygen Generation Plants, Telemedicine services, Upgradation of Medical and Diagnostic infrastructure and Mobile Medical Van/Ambulances.

Efforts are being made to promote vaccination through special medical and wellness camps being held in remote areas. Provisions of medical amenities are also being made in district wise hospitals and health care centres to ensure quality treatment, said Vedanta. 

Vedanta Limited is a diversified mining and metals company with presence in copper, aluminium, zinc, steel and iron ore among others.