Larsen and Toubro’s CSR initiative in FY21 –Rs 150 crore spent for building India’s social infrastructure

The beginning of 2022 was noteworthy for the engineering conglomerate Larsen & Toubro (L&T), as it spent a sum of Rs 150 crore in FY21 on its corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. The company handed over two Integrated Community Development Projects (ICDPs) to the Tamil Nadu government’s agriculture department at Kalangal village in Sulur block – an area recently known for being one of the most water scarce places in the state.

This project was launched in 2015 by Mr. Tha Murugan, project director, district rural development authority. With this CSR initiative, Larsen and Toubro aims to build India’s social infrastructure to ensure self-sufficiency, improve the quality of life, mitigate social inequalities and allow individuals to achieve their true potential. It ensures water availability in rural areas, along with interventions in agriculture, education and sanitation.

ICDP covers 2,028 hectares in Madukkarai and 1,585 hectares in the Sulur block of the Coimbatore district. L&T partnered with the local communities led primarily by women and focused towards soil and water conservation along with sanitation facilities and enhancement of government schooling infrastructure.

L&T CEO and MD, S N Subrahmanyan said, “Far from being a mandatory obligation, giving back to society has been ingrained in the L&T culture all along. We do it simply because in our hearts we feel it is the right thing to do.” With this CSR spend in FY21, L&T social initiatives have touched 1.21 million beneficiaries. Team’s various water and sanitation projects have resulted in positive outcomes for 1,10,525 people. Training in skilling and reskilling in various sectors led to wider employability options for more than 35,500 people.

The continuation of 2015 ICDP project by community members was one of the most rewarding accomplishments for L&T CSR team. The company’s interventions led to major developments – Water level rose in borewells, soil interventions led to 732 ha of additional arable land, 167 ha of irrigated land and 587 ha of fallow land for cultivation. Horticulture development of over 80 ha and 25 per cent rise in crop yields. It also ensured availability of 30,000 tons of green fodder and 15,000 tons of dry fodder. Sanitation facilities for government run schools and construction of 500 toilets for landless, non-farming families.

L&T’s biggest reach has been in health sector, which benefitted 822,967 people in the form of permanent health centres, mobile medical vans and free medical care for underprivileged sections of the society in urban and rural areas.

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