SS Jain, President, Mangalam Cement
Mangalam Cement was established in 1978 by BK Birla, one of the most eminent industrialists in the country. The company has recently commissioned its state-of-the-art new cement plant with German technology for producing 7 lakh tonnes of cement per annum at its existing site at Morak, – Kota, Rajasthan, under the name of Neer Shree Cement. The company has built strong community ties with the villagers in its vicinity through its CSR activities. SS Jain, President, Mangalam Cement, shares the company’s outlook with ICR. Excerpts from the interview.
What is your approach towards CSR activities?
Mangalam Cements is committed to social-economic development of communities through people participative approach. We do it via capability development and by striving for sustainable development of local communities to achieve excellence and inclusive growth. The company believes that service to humanity is service to god.
Would you elaborate on your CSR policies?
We have set short- term and long- term policies.
Our short-term CSR policies are:
Development and enhancement of employable skills, providing means for earning livelihood, helping inclusive growth of local community and strengthening of the Panchayati Raj institution by giving them financial assistance.
Our long-term CSR policies are:
Sustainable development through inclusive growth, holistic development of local areas through adequate interventions leading to rural development and social-economic development of the local communities.
Tell us about the management of your CSR infinitives and people involved in the process?
The process is managed by HR and CSR teams at following levels:
Modus operandi
Develop need-based programmes by ways of methods that call for people participation.
Diagnostic survey
A comprehensive survey carried out to identify gaps in employable skills, infrastructure, backward and forward linkages, credit linkages and value chain analysis, etc.
Data compilation
By analysing facts gathered from the survey a tailor-made plan with holistic approach covering awareness, capacity building plans, infrastructure building, institutional building, backward and forward linkages, a livelihood promotion plan is also proposed.
Execution plan
The CSR team carries out various interventions in accordance with the envisioned objectives and targets set by the top management committee.
Monitoring and evaluation
The management committee, under the leadership of the president, reviews the proposals submitted by the CSR team.
The management allots adequate budgets after close scrutiny and sets targets and objectives.
Timelines are monitored on a monthly basis.
Continuous evaluation is observed by the top management committee to review plans and actual achievements
What are the key areas considered while framing a CSR plan?
We give priority to social-economic development of nearby areas. Our activities are focused around supporting education, health, environment management, community development programme, skill development and providing financial assistance to gram panchayats. Our initiatives are focused on addressing such issues.
Tell us about your CSR activities in detail.
MCL has identified gaps or requirements in five villages within the vicinity of the factory. We have observed that literacy levels in these villages are low. The villagers lack access to health facilities. This combined with low earning capacity, has led to a high mortality rate.
Poor infrastructural connectivity has pushed up transportation costs, making it difficult to sell agriculture produce at the local market. The villages also lack access to electricity.
Mangalam Cement has designed a six-dimensional strategy for rural development in which the main focus areas are:
Education
We have set up Mangalam- DAV School, which is furnished with state-of-art facilities to provide quality education and approximately a thousand students are pursuing their education here.
MCL has adopted ITI Khairabad under PPP model and is facilitating quality technical education in the vicinity.
MCL has provided financial support of 6,48,500/- for higher education to 91 students of BPL families in the current year.
The company has adopted two middle schools for upgradation of infrastructure under the scheme for adoption of PHCS/CHC/schools for their maintenance and also for providing refurbishment.
Health
MCL has made available a primary health care system for the nearby villages. Some significant initiatives were:
Village health camps
MCL organises periodical medical camps in the nearby villages and provides free consultancy. MCL also focuses on providing medicine and preventive medical care to lead healthy life.
Mangalam Cement has provided financial assistance of Rs. 1 crore to the Rajkiya Mangalam Hospital which has comprehensive range of facilities with a capacity of 100 beds.
MCL has been organising blood donation camps since the last four consecutive years in which participation of employees, their families and villagers is increasing every year. It helps to debunk myths related to blood donation.
Paramarsh Kendra
MCl has opened Paramarsh Kendra for nearby villages in which around 5,000 people were benefited in year 2012-13. A physician, paediatrician, dentist, and gynecologist pay weekly visits to the centre and one doctor (M.B.B.S.) is available on daily basis at the centre.
MCL has provided round- the- clock facility of an ambulance for nearby villages.
Environment management
Plantation
Over 98,000 saplings planted to ensure a dense green belt around MCL.
MCL has a tradition of planting a tree on an employee’s birthday.
Water harvesting
Proactive water harvesting initiatives in mined-out area (22 lakh cubic meters of stored water) through roof-top water storage, accumulation of rain water in mined-out pits. This water is also used in spraying for dust suppression. An effluent treatment plant is in place ensuring zero-efficient discharge.
Community development programme
Various community development interventions done by the company. Some of them are as follows:
- Muktidham, place to perform last rites.
- Kalyan Mandapam. MCL has constructed a Kalyan Mandapam for the villagers to conduct marriages.
- Tricycle distribution to handicapped persons.
- Widow pensions. Nine widows in 2011-2012.
- A liberal donation was made to construct temples and mosques, and for celebration of festivals as per the request of local communities.
- 206 blankets were distributed in winter to poor villagers in nearby villages (45 blankets in Budhkhan and Badodia).
- A hundred bio-cook stoves were distributed to nearby villages.
Skills development programmes
Tailoring
The majority of the women in the vicinity of Mangalam Cement are illiterate or semi-literate. This group can enhance its income by upgrading its skills in tailoring. MCL made arrangements to provide such training and created self-employment opportunities for them in their native place. The initiative received tremendous response with 148 ladies benefitting in 2012-13.
Computer training
Mangalam Cement started government certified ITI courses in basic computers in which 116 people of nearby villages attended in four batches till date.
Driving license
The shortage for drivers in urban/ semi- urban areas is growing day by day. Mangalam Cement itself requires huge logistics arrangements and creates employment opportunities for the drivers. MCL started a skill development programme which facilitates driving classes and consultancy to obtain their driving license. 52 villagers have been benefited in 3 batches from year 2012-13. The drivers have to have passed their Std 8.
Financial assistance to gram panchayats
We have adopted five gram panchayats i.e, Morak village, Morak Station, Budkhan, Hiriakheri and Badodia. MCL is taking a keen interest in the development of rural infrastructure of these villages. Roads, by-passes, street lights and their maintenance, housekeeping, provision of electricity for villages, construction of boundary wall for burial ground, temples, etc, are some of those infrastructural development activities carried out through these panchayats.
In what way have CSR activities benefited the company?
CSR offers several benefits to the company. It definitely helps in fostering harmonious relation with communities and helps in achieving inclusive growth. The efforts have helped in securing environmental and ecological balance, as also in strengthening our brand image and reputation in the market.
Economy & Market1 month ago
Economy & Market4 weeks ago
Concrete2 weeks ago
Concrete2 weeks ago