Bhubaneswar: Leading steel maker Jindal Steel & Power (JSP) has been conferred with CSR Health Impact Gold Award for COVID Relief initiatives in the mega projects category. JSP’s President & Group Head (CSR), Prashant Kumar Hota received the prestigious award from former Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi, during a ceremony held in New Delhi on 14th July 2023.
Receiving the award Hota said, “COVID-19 pandemic was a challenging time for entire humanity. JSP, under the leadership of its Chairman, Naveen Jindal ji and JSP Foundation’s Chairperson, Shallu Jindal ji, was one of the few corporates to join hands with the Government and the Community to mitigate the challenge. From providing food to the needy during the lockdown to supplying liquid medical oxygen to hospitals, we made all efforts to combat the pandemic-induced human drudgery “. He thanked the jury and the organisers for the award.
Prashant Hota was also a panel speaker in the forum elucidating the transformation of CSR landscape in the recent years. “CSR has been transformed from charity to sustainability and the consultation and disclosure process in CSR has laid a robust foundation for multi-agency led collaborative social development, ” he said in the Forum.
Following the declaration of the lockdown during the pandemic, JSP immediately started a special initiative called “Mission Zero Hunger” in the three states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand to provide food to truckers, stranded migrant workers, and the underprivileged. This programme was later expanded to Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra, serving over two million meals.
During the second wave of the pandemic, JSP delivered more than 5,000 tonnes of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) to 13 states by road and Indian Railways’ Oxygen Express. The company also provided two cryogenic tankers to the government of Odisha to transport LMO.
JSP also took various measures to provide healthcare services during the pandemic. The company dedicated 700 Oxygen beds in its Fortis OP Jindal Hospital & Research Centre at Raigarh and Tamnar, Chhattisgarh. They also established a specialised COVID Care Centre in Angul, equipped with ICUs, ventilators, and other necessary resources. Additionally, JSP distributed a large number of facemasks and sanitisers to the community and frontline COVID-19 workers. JSP Foundation, the social arm of JSP, made buyback arrangements to support farmers and women from self-help groups, ensuring their livelihoods were protected. Furthermore, under the direct guidance of the Chairperson of JSP Foundation, Shallu Jindal and JSP’s Chairman, Naveen Jindal, it established two permanent children’s homes in Tamnar, Chhattisgarh, to provide shelter and support for children who lost their parents during the pandemic.
CSR Health Impact Award is a prestigious initiative by IHW Council to inspire organisations to drive a nationwide CSR–based health movement. The awardees are selected by a jury of highly respected luminaires from the health space.
