- The intervention under the project has benefited 17 villages through income improvement, women empowerment programs, improved water quality, and increased life expectancy.
- The net present value increased each year since 2016 currently accounting for 34% of the total impact.
Panasonic Life Solutions India (PLSIND) – one of the largest manufacturers of electrical construction materials (ECM) in the country, released an impact report about its Holistic Village Development program that focuses on rural development, sustainability, people, and community empowerment. The report highlights the company’s commitment to improving the lives of rural communities through its interventions in sectors such as water resource development, sustainable agriculture, and women empowerment programs. Since its inception in 2016 the program has expanded to involve 17 villages in Palghar district.
Panasonic’s continuous effort to foster rural community growth through several initiatives has resulted, in increased plantation maturity which has resulted in an overall rise in household income. Produce sales as a whole generated an additional 30,000–1.3 lakh rupees per household. Due to the increased availability of agricultural water, which radically altered the landscape, seasonal migration, which was already at an all-time high, experienced a decline. Drinking water was made accessible and available, giving women more time to spend in the fields, Self-help groups began part-time employment and engaging in other (off- or on-farm) income-generating activities. The provision of water enhanced the health of the people, allowing them to focus on other opportunities and conduct their respective responsibilities more skillfully.
Speaking on the initiative, Toshinobu Kawasaki – Joint Managing Director, PEWIN, Panasonic Life Solutions India said, “The development project has had a significant influence on the tribal village’s health and overall quality of life. Panasonic will continue to adopt such communities and provide sustainable livelihoods; while CSR is an important pillar, it is also our primary goal to improve people’s lives.”
Panasonic’s overall assistance also aided women in making financial decisions for their families, particularly as the revenue levels and income-generating activities of Jawhar SHGs (Self Help Groups). Health camps were set up with the overarching goal of accomplishing the goal of improved housing and living conditions in mind. This was accomplished by holding health camps that assisted in the detection of specific ailments, particularly vision-related impairments among the elderly. Water-borne diseases, which were once prevalent in the village, recorded a drop in overall numbers.
