The Bank expends the CSR funds on certain prescribed activities through Utkarsh Welfare Foundation (“UWF”), a company registered under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 and eligible to undertake CSR activities.

CSR activities are focused towards development and assistance to the underprivileged population in rural & urban sectors by way of entrepreneurship development, market linkage opportunities, education, health and vocational training program. Interventions are aimed at grass root population especially women.

Aligned with sustainable development goals, the Bank intends to make an impact in the lives of the underprivileged community through a multi-pronged service-oriented, and market-led approach.

Bank's CSR Footprints:

The Bank aims to undertake the following activities as a part of its CSR initiatives for the financial year [2022-23] as approved by the Board of Directors of the Bank.

1.Financial Literacy

Our Financial Literacy Initiative is aimed at building the financial capabilities of the resource-poor and the financially excluded sections of society and has been envisaged to create financial awareness among the rural population and empower them to manage their finances more efficiently so as to achieve financial well-being, improve community strategies with respect to current financial behaviours which include the use of formal savings accounts, the practice of household-level financial planning, choosing formal financial services over informal sources of finance, preventing over-indebtedness, etc. Financial education contributes to the attainment of SDG No. 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth, which aims to Foster sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

2.Health Initiatives:

Health Initiatives undertaken by Utkarsh Welfare Foundation are designed to enhance and ensure access to primary healthcare services in remote geographies for the underserved population with no access to basic medical facilities. The Foundation aims to address the healthcare challenges by providing access to various promotional and preventive healthcare services through multiple activities such as Health Awareness Trainings, Polyclinic Camps, E-Clinics, Special Health Camps and Health Infrastructure Support.

a. Polyclinic Camps Polyclinic camps are intended to provide free Primary Health Services to the low-income households. Outpatient diagnostic (OPD) services with free medicine are being provided as a part of the initiative. The initiative is especially benefitting resource-poor sections in the underserved geographies with no access to basic medical services.

b. Health Awareness:Health awareness training functions on the concept of 'Prevention is better than cure'. The design of the training is to impart two (02) days of intensive classroom training on Health, Sanitation and Hygiene. The dissemination topics include awareness and prevention of seasonal and communicable diseases, menstrual health management, malnutrition, mother and child health, etc. The aim is to raise awareness on the various aspects of preventive health care measures, educate the target group on relevant information, build capacity within the community to handle local health issues effectively and promote overall good health of the local community.

c. E-Clinics: E-clinics have been setup in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar with the objective of transforming healthcare in remote areas with ICT (Information & Communication Technologies); Beneficiaries/patients are provided with free doctor consultation in the E-clinics via video-call where they are assisted by Auxiliary Nurse Midwives/General Nursing Midwives present there. Post consultation, the patients are provided with the medicines prescribed by the doctor.

d. Special Health Camps: Utkarsh Welfare Foundation organizes special health camps with a special focus on malnutrition and well-being for women and children. In these camps, a Panel of two (02) doctors i.e., one (01) Paediatrician and one (01) Gyno-general (preferably female) are present at the location along with a nursing assistant. The beneficiaries are provided carefully chosen medicines including multivitamins and protein supplements specifically catering to women's and children's nourishment.

e. Swasthya Mitra: A Swasthya Mitra, (Trained Nurse/ANM/GNM/Para Health Worker) is paramedical healthcare worker who is provided with general medicines along with all basic necessary health equipment for conducting primary health check-ups (Temperature, Blood Pressure, Sugar test) at doorstep and catering to the last mile citizens. The Swasthya Mitra is assigned a number of villages to visit regularly in rotation basis and provides primary healthcare services and medicines based on the diagnosis. Patients suffering from severe illnesses are referred to nearby government health facilities.

f. Health Infrastructure Support:Utkarsh Welfare Foundation (UWF) extended its support to improve upon the existing healthcare infrastructure in the identified area of operations. Health Infrastructure support has been provided to various government/charitable hospitals in the form of surgical instruments, ICU Beds, Wheelchairs, Oxygen Flow Meters, Waiting Chairs, Bedside lockers, Revolving Stools, R.O. Plants, etc.

3. Supporting Livelihoods and Entrepreneurship Development:

a. Supporting Marginalized Weavers into Collectives and Producer Groups This project was conceptualized as a building block for strengthening the economic resilience of artisans. Utkarsh Welfare Foundation has been in the process of facilitating an ecosystem in which the artisan collectives can thrive and work in the direction of sustainable livelihoods by forming an organization of their own. Revival of a Weavers Skilling Centre has been done where artisans especially women from weaker economic sections of the region are being provided with skill training on weaving and ancillary activities viz. repair and maintenance of loom, installation of jacquard, etc. for upskilling and empowering these women.

b. Mahila Udyami Sashaktikaran Programme (MUSP): Mahila Udyami Sashaktikaran Programme (MUSP) is aimed at building the entrepreneurial skills of women micro-entrepreneurs with intensive support on business development services. The objective is to create opportunities for scaling up, diversifying and setting up new micro enterprises. The broad objective of the interventions are increasing efficiency of business operations, improving reach to more markets and market players and improving professionalism/business management skills in women -led enterprises.

4.Village Development Program (VDP):

For the holistic development at the bottom of the pyramid, the Foundation has designed and implemented the Village Development Programme (VDP) to address the deeply interlinked issues of education, health care, sanitation and socio-economic gaps. The village adoption plan envisages the development of identified villages in consultation with the village community with an emphasis on participatory planning. Eleven villages (11) namely Bhimchandi, Dholapur, Dindaspur, Karnadandi, Mahmadpur, Ahrak Paschimpur, Garhwa, Koirajpur, Ramaipatti, Kazi Sarai and War block in Varanasi district have been identified for this development program.