Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 21: The Vice President and head of CSR J&K Bank today issued a clarification on the news item about Bank's CSR activities.
In a written statement he asserted that the Bank as a socially responsible corporate citizen, continues to enhance value creation in the society and the community it operates through its CSR activities, which are be aimed to promote sustained growth for the society and community. The main objective of the Bank's CSR is to work for up gradation & maintenance of social infrastructure primarily in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in the preservation of environment, health, education, heritage preservation and socially deprived segments of the society.
He added that the Bank's CSR activities are mainly driven by a dedicated CSR Department under the guidance and support of senior functionaries, in particular the Bank's Board/Management in line with the CSR Policy of the Bank and monitored by the CSR Committee of the Board of Directors. A disclosure to this effect he added is also published in the Bank's annual report.
In the environment protection, the bank has been actively taking up initiatives towards environment and maintaining pristine natural beauty of the state through massive tree plantation drives, construction of public amenities and adoption & development of gardens, parks/play areas in different locations throughout the J&K state.
In the education segment, the bank's has been proactively engaging with all the tiers of education in urban, semi urban and rural areas of all the regions of the state vis. Schools, Colleges, Universities, Engineering Colleges, Medical Colleges, IIT, IIM, NIT etc. across the state not only for up gradation of infrastructure like smart classes in public schools, developing IT infrastructure, libraries, providing modern furniture, ambulances, Battery operated cars for internal movement of differently able children, identified schools in remote areas of the state where e learning tools like internet, laptops, projectors, Interactive screens were installed etc. but has also supported financially for capacity building by sponsoring conferences and conclaves.
In the health sector, bank has been actively working with all the stakeholders for conducting of medical camps by specialists for the economically underprivileged people, installing life saving and diagnostic equipments, critical care ambulances in public hospitals, collaborating with Red Cross Society, supporting health care and treatment of underprivileged sections of society.
The CSR head of the bank further elaborated that for the economically deprived people of the state, bank has undertaken a number of interventions like distribution of handcarts fitted with state-of-the-art solar lighting system, dedication of fully furnished dormitory, recreation room, gymnasium and smart classes for inmates at Balgran, a home for destitute children in Jammu, up gradation of SOS children home Channi Rama Jammu, sponsoring of higher education of orphans & economically weaker children, adoption of differently able children, brought socially and financially weak children (mostly orphans) and underprivileged children under the ambit of Remote Child Sponsorship Programme (RCSP) seeking primary education, financial support for life saving drugs to poor patients suffering from Hemophilia & Hepatitis C. Additionally the Bank contributed a substantial amount to an International Old Age Home "Mahabodhi" which houses elderly citizens, visually impaired children, monks, nuns, volunteers & children from under-privileged families in Ladakh Region, two other organizations in Jammu region namely Association for Social Health in India (ASHI) J&K Branch & Samaj Kalyan Kendra, working for the cause of orphans, particularly girls were provided financial assistance to carry on their welfare programmes.
The Vice President informed that JK Bank has on multiple occasions launched cleanliness drives under Swachh Bharat Mission in collaboration with local urban bodies to promote upkeep of surroundings and environment for healthy living besides a massive sanitation programme under "Swachhta Hi Seva" where cleanliness drives were carried out in hospitals, public places, schools and district headquarters to enlighten the people about the importance of keeping their surroundings neat & clean. At the same time, important machinery like mopping machines were supplied to hospitals & courts to keep such important public places free of dirt.
In the backdrop of the excellent upkeep and maintenance of the Parks and gardens by the bank, the state government has handed over the heritage Kashmir Golf Course in the heart of Srinagar City to the bank for its renovation and upkeep. The heritage golf course of the state which was completely damaged in floods has been restored/upgraded by the bank with a view to promotion of tourism and sports in the state and has recently been rated as AAA by an internationally renowned golf-course consultant who appreciated the efforts that have gone into the designing and execution of the golf course by the Bank. Needless to say that tourists and golfers from whole country as well as the world throng this place thereby bringing to fore the publicity to whole state as well as the Bank's brand. The Bank also is actively collaborating the Shrine Boards for being on the forefront to upgrade the amenities for the millions of pilgrims who visit the Shrines from all across the world.
While informing that the list was only illustrative and not exhaustive the Bank's Vice President informed that the role of bank has been lauded by the government and other stakeholders more recently by the Hon'ble Governor J&K state while dedicating the musical fountain and open gymnasium at the historic Brig Rajinder Park in Jammu. The Bank he added is also developing a heritage Dogra Cuisine Specailty restaurant in Rajinder Park to promote the vanishing Dogra cuisine. The main objective of the Bank's CSR Policy is its commitment to operate in economically, socially and environmentally sustainable manner that ensures upliftment of the marginalized and under-privileged sections of the society to promote health, education, sports, capacity building, environment protection and sustainable tourism in the state. |
