ONGC, as a leading Maharatna of the nation, has set a benchmark continuously for the last two years by achieving 100% utilization of the CSR budget, which has been to over Rs 500 Crore each year. This reflects ONGC’s commitment as a responsible Corporate Citizen to giving back to society in equal measure.
Preservation and protection of National Heritage, Art, and Culture: The Company may take up CSR activities aimed at the protection of national heritage, art, and culture, including restoration of buildings, sites of historical importance, and works of art; setting up public libraries; promotion and development of traditional arts and handicrafts.
- Promotion of artisans, artisans, musicians, artists, etc., for the preservation of heritage, art, and culture
- Need for promoting art, artisans, crafts, and craftsmen, particularly the not-so-popular ones and those likely to fade away with time.
- Focus on the local artisans or the people belonging to the tribal belts, as far as possible, near our work centers.
- We need to repackage and redesign the promotional campaigns for the artisans and craftsmen.
- To help set up small-scale production facilities or provide financial help to groups approaching to promote the local crafts.
- To help artisans and craftsmen is to provide market linkage and demand for them to have a source of income based on their art/craft products At Varanasi, four ancient Kunds, namely Durga Kund, Laxhmi Kunds, Lat Bhairav Kund, and Karim Kunds have been restored by ONGC in partnership with National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd. (NBCC). At Ahmedabad, Siddhi Sayeed Mosque has been adopted for upkeep and beautification for one year. The Mosque is famed for its exquisite jali windows, spider web fine, depicting the intricate intertwining branches of the ‘tree of life’ that is best seen from the road along the back of the Mosque. The central arch of the Mosque is also bereft of intricate latticework, making the eyes go straight to the main stunning work at the back wall. The Mosque still functions as a place of prayer.
The ONGC Board approved this flagship CSR project with a financial implication of Rs 11.46 Cr. The project is currently under implementation in partnership with National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd. (NBCC) and Varanasi Nagar Nigam.
Before taking up the project, ONGC engaged an independent agency to carry out a feasibility study and to prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR). Based on the recommendation, the project activities were initiated by NBCC.
The project activities include general civil works, including railings, electrical fittings, landscaping, beautification, construction of barriers to check the ingress of pollutants to the water of the Kunds, and further purification of water through anaerobic bioremediation method.
There is also a provision for the maintenance and upkeep of the Kunds for five years through the implementing agency.
