Adani Ports & SEZ gets National CSR award

New Delhi, Nov 1 () Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), India's leading port operator, has won an 'Honorary Special Mention' award at the first-ever National CSR Award ceremony. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her deputy Anurag Thakur presented the award to Malay Mahadevia, group president, Human Resources of the Adani Group, Rakshit Shah, executive director, APSEZ and Avinash Rai, COO, APSEZ, a company statement said. "APSEZ was recognised for 'CSR in challenging circumstances' in the western region and creating a sustainable impact on incomes and overall living standards of the fishermen community in Gujarat," it said. Since 2010, Adani Foundation, the CSR arm of the Adani Group, has worked on behalf of APSEZ on the project called 'Transforming Lives and Livelihood Provision to Fishermen Community' in six core areas including livelihood, women's empowerment, quality education, skill training, health and infrastructure development for communities in the vicinity of Mundra and Anjar towns of Kutch districts in Gujarat. "In line with the Adani Group's principle of 'Growth with Goodness', the project has ameliorated living conditions and created a sustainable impact in the lives of 6,067 fishermen and their families in seven villages of Gujarat," it said. Availability of off-season livelihood opportunities, alternative livelihoods, and improved fishing techniques have resulted in increasing income of families. The quality healthcare services have reduced disease burden and enhanced savings due to lower out-of-pocket expenses. In addition, education is getting a fillip with 1,780 children being enrolled in the Adani Vidya Mandir School at Bhadreshwar. Environment and biodiversity preservation was given a special focus with mangrove plantation across 2,889 hectares providing protection against natural disasters and ensuring local employment. APSEZ is the largest port developer and operator in India. It has 10 strategically located ports and terminals - Mundra, Dahej, Kandla and Hazira in Gujarat, Dhamra in Odisha, Mormugao in Goa, Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, and Kattupalli and Ennore in Chennai - representing 24 per cent of the country's total port capacity. The company is also developing a transshipment port at Vizhinjam, Kerala. Established in 1996, Adani Foundation has operations in 18 states that include 2250 villages and towns, touching the lives of more than 3.2 million people in areas of education, community health, sustainable livelihood development, and infrastructure development. ANZ SHW SHW