Corporate Social Responsibility and Water Security in Western Rajasthan: A Study of Selected Renewable Energy Companies

The western parts of Rajasthan experience water scarcity owing to the arid nature of the climate and low amount of rainfall in the area. As such, the CSR programs of renewable energy companies have immense importance in conserving the water resources as well as uplifting the rural population. This research analyzes the water-based CSR initiatives of Suzlon Energy Limited and Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) in western Rajasthan. Using the descriptive research methodology, the paper is based only on corporate annual reports and any other available corporate public reports. The analysis is conducted by classifying and examining company's interventions in pond construction, desilting, and construction of water infrastructure. It is found that both the companies have carried out many water projects; however, type of activities and places have varied in different financial years. Furthermore, it is found that there is a serious lack of information in the corporation's reports, especially about the number of beneficiaries and project viability in the long run. It is concluded that the water projects by CSR programs have great potential to increase water security of rural areas provided they are monitored constantly.