Henkel India embarks on a rural solar power CSR initiative

Henkel Adhesive Technologies India Private Limited has announced that it has  taken a big step towards sustainability with its CSR project, ‘Lighting Lives’. This project, which is in line with the global Sustainability Strategy for 2030, aims to provide electricity to villagesin Maharashtra by installing solar panels. The companyalso reached the interim targets of its Sustainability strategy, setting new milestones for 2020 and published its 25th Sustainability Report.

‘Lighting Lives’ Project in India

As part of 2015-16 budget speech, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has set a deadline of May 1, 2018 for "100 per cent village electrification". Under the ‘Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana’, the ministry has allocated a fund of Rs 8,500 croresto achieve this key target of rural electrification. As a sustainability leader, Henkel through ‘Lighting Lives’, intends to contribute to this development story of India while continuing to shape the business responsibly and increase economic success.

This noble initiative, currently in the pilot phase, has seen installation of solar cells in three villages situated in the Palghar district of Maharashtra. The solar power generated has successfully supplied electricity to the homes of 150 people and to the schools attended by about 1,600 children. The project will be expanded to include other villages and public facilities.