CII Foundation

Wishing all a Happy Diwali🪔! This Diwali, let's celebrate the spirit of hope, togetherness and gratitude! May the coming year bring happiness, prosperity and good fortune for all. #HappyDiwali2024 #HappyDiwali #Diwali2024 #FestivalOfProsperity

Read our latest report, following six years of #cleanerairbetterlife intervention, to understand learnings from the field and what is needed to address crop residue burning across the Punjab-Haryana region. Eight key messages for the season :- 1. A replicable model for a sustained community-level change on the ground is possible if farmers' major needs, capacity in terms of (i) training, (ii) farm tools & (iii) 'round the year' farm advisory, are addressed cost-effectively in participatory planning with farming communities. 2. In practice, the in-situ management method of "straw incorporation" has become the most widely adopted alternative across intervention areas and the Punjab-Haryana region in general. 3. Despite its highest productivity gains as documented in the report, "mulching" has seen a very low adoption rate in recent years. This can be attributed to misconceptions of risks among farmers, low awareness and at times, a lack of proper tool training. 4. Soil health gains & climate resilience benefits need to be studied better across the region for communicating the full cost and benefits of crop residue management to farmers. Progressive farmers, undertaking in-situ management for more than 6-7 years can be leveraged by agricultural extension services to communicate these long-term benefits. 5. Multiple initiatives by Central and State Governments (Punjab & Haryana) have been successful at increasing the level of awareness and penetration of farm tools to reduce the extent of rice stubble burnings by nearly 50% by AY 2023-24 since the release of the CII-NITI Action Plan for Biomass Management in AY 2017-18. 6. The positive momentum built with the adoption of in-situ management practices need to be sustained with emphasis on improving the adoption of mulching based on its cost-effectiveness for marginal-small farmers & much better resilience of mulched fields to cope with extreme climatic events which is a new norm. 7. Sustainable crop residue management practices, especially in-situ management practices, enhance farmer's productivity and reduce reliance on chemical inputs. 8. Traditional crops such as millets, maize, legumes etc. can be leveraged for crop diversification in the region due to existing know-how for their cultivation among farmers. CII Foundation CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development

CII Foundation, in collaboration with, HDFC Bank, under its CSR brand Parivartan, launched a Crop Residue Management initiative in Bhawanigarh, Sangrur district, Punjab, bringing sustainable solutions to stubble burning across 65 villages, covering 55,935 acres of farmland and supporting 7,095 farmers. The event, held at Gurudwara Sahib in Majhi Village, saw participation from over 350 farmers, students, and key dignitaries, including Mrs. Narinder Kaur Bharaj, MLA, Sangrur; Mr. Sandeep Rishi, Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur; Mr. Rajwinder Kumar Bansal, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Bhawanigarh; Mr. Rajwant Singh Ghuli, In-charge of the CM Camp Office; Mr. Harbans Singh Chehal, Chief Agriculture Officer, Sangrur; and senior representatives from HDFC Bank, including Mrs. Bharti Kapoor, Zonal Head, Mr. Sumesh Grover, Cluster Head, Anjali Puri, Regional Head for Government-Sponsored Schemes, and Anjali Thakur, Project Manager for CSR, as well as Mr. Chandrakant Pradhan, Lead - Climate Resilience, CII Foundation, all rallying for cleaner air. The event featured community engagement activities, including a flag-off ceremony, project briefings, and machinery demonstrations. Students from Government Senior Secondary School led a rally, held a drawing competition, and performed a nukkad natak, all raising awareness of the impact of stubble burning. The event also honoured 23 farmer cooperative society secretaries for promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Together, we’re driving real change for a sustainable future! Confederation of Indian Industry HDFC Bank Parivartan Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government of India Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India CII Northern Region Sunil Misra Chandrakant Pradhan S M Tahir Hussain Abdullah Siddiqui Ankit Bagri Hitesh Goyal SWARNA RAUT Adya Mishra Priya Shirali Seema Arora Cleaner Air - Better Life UN Environment Programme

The 2nd Leadership Training of the Woman Exemplar Program (WEP) 2024, held from October 23rd to 25th, brought together our woman exemplars, who are grassroots women leaders, for three days of transformative learning. This intensive training focused on building essential skills for personal and community leadership. Participants learned the art of narrative-building as a tool to drive change, weaving their personal stories to inspire and motivate. They were introduced to ChatGPT and LinkedIn, enhancing their digital communication skills with practical tips for drafting proposals, email responses, and social media engagement. A session on legal literacy empowered participants with knowledge of women’s and children’s rights, including guidance on filing Public Interest Litigations (PILs) to advocate for community needs. Self-defense techniques using home-based tools and financial literacy sessions—covering savings, e-banking, and investment basics—helped participants make informed decisions. The training concluded with a session on personal branding, inspiring each woman to share her unique journey with confidence, increasing their visibility and impact. #LeadLikeANaari #WomenLeadership Confederation of Indian Industry Sunil Misra CII Centre for Women Leadership Sukriti Tolani Megha Milan Yukti B Priya Shirali Shivani Kumar CII Indian Women Network Kaveree Bamzai Shobana Kamineni Rumjhum Chatterjee

CII Foundation, in collaboration with Cadence Design Systems, organized a Farmer Outreach Event in Bhuna, Fatehabad, on October 25, 2024, as part of its Crop Residue Management (CRM) initiative. Held at the Community Centre in Dullat village, the event brought together over 150 farmers and dignitaries to address stubble burning in the region, gain practical knowledge on crop residue management techniques, and promote eco-friendly farming practices. This year, Cadence and CII Foundation are supporting 1,520 farmers across 15,400 acres in Fatehabad, expanding CRM efforts to reduce air pollution and improve soil health. Key dignitaries, including Dr. Bhim Singh Kulharia, Sub Divisional Agriculture Officer (SDAO); Dr. Pawan Jayani, Assistand Agriculture Engineer (AAE), Fatehabad; Rajesh Sain, Block Agriculture Officer (In-charge of Soil Testing); Pankaj Sethi, Senior Technician, Northern Region Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institute (NRFMTTI) Hisar; Mohammad Asim Khan, Head-CSR, Cadence Design Systems and other local officials, shared valuable insights on CRM techniques, government schemes, and technical support for sustainable practices. Other representatives from CII Foundation and Cadence were also present at the event. With these combined efforts, we’re working toward a cleaner, healthier future! Confederation of Indian Industry CII Northern Region Sunil Misra Seema Arora Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government of India Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India Chandrakant Pradhan S M Tahir Hussain Abdullah Siddiqui Ankit Bagri Hitesh Goyal SWARNA RAUT Adya Mishra Priya Shirali Cleaner Air - Better Life UN Environment Programme

A series of farmer outreach events were held this week in Khanna and Jagraon, Ludhiana, and Bunderwas in Fatehabad, in villages supported by HDFC Bank, under its CSR brand Parivartan, and CII Foundation to mobilize farmers in mitigating stubble burning and adopting environmentally friendly crop residue management practices. Over 600 farmers participated actively alongside government representatives, community leaders, and agricultural experts. They engaged in live machinery demonstrations and received practical guidance on eco-friendly residue management. Insightful talks by experts offered farmers effective, sustainable alternatives to stubble burning, while peer-to-peer interactions provided firsthand knowledge on sustainable methods. Students from local schools and colleges also joined, presenting creative projects that highlighted the harmful effects of stubble burning on the environment and human health while illustrating viable, sustainable alternatives. Together, farmers and students pledged to stop stubble burning and encourage others to do the same. These collective efforts are paving the way toward cleaner air and a healthier environment. Confederation of Indian Industry HDFC Bank Parivartan Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government of India Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India CII Northern Region Sunil Misra Chandrakant Pradhan S M Tahir Hussain Abdullah Siddiqui Ankit Bagri Hitesh Goyal SWARNA RAUT Adya Mishra Priya Shirali Seema Arora Cleaner Air - Better Life UN Environment Programme

The CII Foundation and PTC India Financial Services Limited (PFS) in collaboration with the District Administration of Fatehgarh Sahib, organized a farmer field day on 24th October 2024 at Sanghol Village, Punjab, engaging over 150 farmers to promote sustainable agricultural practices. Present on the occasion were Manreet Rana (PCS), Sub Divisional Magistrate, Khamanon, Mr. Jaswinder Singh, Agricultural Officer, Khamanon; Mrs. Harpreet Kaur, Assistant Registrar, Khamanon; Dr. Lovleen Bains, Dean of Extension Cell at Guru Nanak National College, Doraha; and other local officials. The event commenced with a rally led by students from Guru Nanak National College and Government Boys High School, who raised awareness against stubble burning by chanting slogans and distributing pamphlets. A highlight was the nukkad natak (street play) performed by the students, emphasizing the importance of sustainable agriculture. Demonstrations of advanced agricultural machinery provided practical alternatives to burning stubble, while a stall featured the PUSA Decomposer, aiding in rapid crop residue degradation. The event concluded with participants taking an oath to stop stubble burning and committing to sustainable agricultural practices. Confederation of Indian Industry Sunil Misra CII Northern Region Chandrakant Pradhan S M Tahir Hussain Abdullah Siddiqui SWARNA RAUT Adya Mishra Ankit Bagri Hitesh Goyal Priya Shirali Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government of India Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana Punjab Kesari The Tribune Press Trust of India (PTI) Punjab Times The Indian Express The Times Of India NDTV The Hindu Cleaner Air - Better Life Mongabay India UN Environment Programme

With Air Quality Index (AQI) figures frequently crossing hazardous levels in India's north-west, the focus once again shifts to farm stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, a significant aggravator of air pollution. At the CII Foundation, we've been working closely with farmers across the two States through a multi-stakeholder project with government, industry, agricultural universities and the farmer community. Through our on-ground interventions centered around awareness building, supporting farmers with the tools, technologies and training to adopt sustainable farming practices, we have created a zero-stubble burning movement which is gathering pace. This season, we are working in 800 villages across Punjab and Haryana supporting farmers to adopt environmentally-viable alternatives to stubble management. The initiative has received financial and technical support from multiple partners including Birlasoft , HDFC Bank Parivartan, SBI Card, PTC India Financial Services Limited, Cadence Design Systems, Apraava Energy, JHAJJAR POWER LIMITED., Fidelity International , The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Indian Oil Corp Limited, IOCL NRPL, GAIL (India) Limited, ONGC Videsh Ltd, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCS HAU), Hisar, Northern Region Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institute (NRFMTTI), Guru Nanak National College, Doraha, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore and IIT-IIT. We thank all the program supporters, partners and farmers who are committed to this environmental movement. Watch this space for more as our crop residue management story unfolds... Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government of India Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India Punjab Pollution Control Board - India Haryana State Pollution Control Board - India George C Varughese CII Northern Region Seema Arora Chandrakant Pradhan S M Tahir Hussain Abdullah Siddiqui Jibran Zakir Priya Shirali SWARNA RAUT

The CII Foundation, in partnership with Kemin Industries South Asia Pvt Ltd.. has successfully restored another waterbody at SR Kandigai, Gummidipoondi, Thiruvallur District, Tamil Nadu. Earlier three vital waterbodies in the region—Eswaran Pond, Karuperi Kullam Pond, and Panpakkam Pond—were revived under the project. The inauguration was graced by Mr. Ayush Gupta, IAS, Assistant Collector of Tiruvallur District, Ms. Aakriti Sethi, IAS, Assistant Collector of Salem District, Mr. Murali, Panchayat President of SR Kandigai, Mr. Sivakumar, Block Chairman, Dr. Sureshkumar, President, Kemin Industries South Asia Pvt Ltd, and Mr. Devendra Dixit, Vice President – HR, Kemin Industries South Asia Pvt Ltd, among others. The restored water body now boasts a water holding capacity of 9.7 million litres. The waterbody revival effort is part of the CII Southern Region's Water Alliance Initiative which aims to improve water management, enhance resilience to flooding, and encourage community engagement. Confederation of Indian Industry Sunil Misra CII Southern Region Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government of India Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, RD & GR, Govt. of India Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) UNDP Seema Arora Jane Maria Maria Arockiam Jayesh Parekh Chandrakant Pradhan Priya Shirali Sarbani Chakravarty Jacob Jose Jibran Zakir S M Tahir Hussain Abdullah Siddiqui The Hindu The New Indian Express Deccan Chronicle Holdings ltd Dinamani Daily Thanthi CII-Triveni Water Institute CII-ITC CESD

The CII Foundation Activity Report is here! We're proud to share the incredible journey we've undertaken this year of Transforming Communities Through Partnerships. From education and women empowerment to sustainability and healthcare, our initiatives have touched lives, built resilience, and created lasting change. Curious about our impact? Dive into the report to discover our milestones, success stories, and how we're driving inclusive growth across communities in India. Download the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gbYRs4kP #InclusiveGrowth #SocialImpact #Sustainability #WomenEmpowerment Confederation of Indian Industry Sunil Misra Seema Arora CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government of India Punjab Agricultural University Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India Birlasoft PTC India Financial Services Limited The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Indian Oil Corp Limited. Fidelity International Apraava Energy SBI Card HDFC Bank Parivartan GAIL (India) Limited Cummins India Volvo Group Pirojsha Godrej Foundation JHAJJAR POWER LIMITED. Kemin Industries South Asia Pvt Ltd. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Pratham Education Foundation Chandrakant Pradhan Priya Shirali Sarbani Chakravarty Shivani Kumar Sukriti Tolani Yukti B Megha Milan Nivedya P T Jibran Zakir S M Tahir Hussain Kaveree Bamzai Radhika Bharat Ram Shobana Kamineni Kamal Bali The Times Of India