Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy inaugurated and launched a series of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives worth ₹2.15 crore in Mandya, Karnataka, aimed at improving accessibility, healthcare, education and support for persons with disabilities and local communities.
Speaking at an event at Ambedkar Bhavan on August 29, Kumaraswamy stressed that persons with disabilities should not be viewed through the lens of sympathy, but should instead be provided with equal opportunities, dignity, independence and the resources needed to participate fully in society.
“Persons with disabilities have always been close to my heart,” Kumaraswamy said, emphasising that empowerment and inclusion must be treated as a collective responsibility.
Assistive devices distributed to 299 beneficiaries
As part of CSR initiatives undertaken by the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO), assistive devices were distributed to 299 beneficiaries.
The equipment, worth approximately ₹50 lakh, included battery-operated tricycles, artificial limbs and hearing aids.
The initiative is intended to improve mobility, communication and independence for beneficiaries, helping persons with disabilities overcome some of the practical barriers they face in everyday life.
Kumaraswamy emphasised that providing appropriate opportunities and support can enable persons with disabilities to live with greater self-reliance and self-respect.
₹1 crore digital assessment facility at MIMS
Kumaraswamy also inaugurated a digital assessment facility at Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS).
The facility has been established with ₹1 crore in CSR funding from Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).
The project adds another dimension to the CSR initiatives in Mandya by focusing on healthcare infrastructure and technology-enabled assessment services. Such facilities can strengthen institutional capacity and improve access to more organised and technology-supported healthcare services.
New classrooms funded through CSR
The CSR initiatives also extended to education infrastructure.
At the Government School in Halalli village, Kumaraswamy inaugurated two newly constructed classrooms funded through a ₹32.50 lakh CSR grant from ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India).
He also laid the foundation stone for two additional classrooms at the former Municipal College in Mandya city. AM/NS India has committed another ₹32.50 lakh towards the construction under its CSR programme.
The projects are aimed at strengthening educational infrastructure and creating better physical facilities for students.
CSR focused on tangible community outcomes
Together, the initiatives inaugurated or launched during Kumaraswamy’s Mandya visit represent ₹2.15 crore in CSR projects and assistance covering multiple areas, including disability inclusion, healthcare and education.
The projects demonstrate how CSR funding can be directed towards tangible community infrastructure and direct beneficiary support rather than being limited to one area of intervention.
The distribution of assistive devices directly supports persons with disabilities, while the medical facility and classroom projects focus on strengthening public institutions serving local communities.
Kumaraswamy, while inaugurating the school infrastructure, also highlighted the importance of improving educational facilities and providing students with better access to quality infrastructure.
The Mandya initiatives therefore bring together three important areas of community development—inclusion and accessibility, healthcare infrastructure and education—through CSR investments from major public and private sector organisations.
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