HDFC Bank to Empower 1,000 Villages with Renewable Energy by 2025

New Delhi, Apr 21 (PTI) Private sector HDFC Bank on Monday said it plans to empower 1,000 villages with access to clean and renewable energy solutions by 2025 under its CSR initiative called Parivartan.

The bank's work in renewable energy aligns with this year's Earth Day theme, Our Power, Our Planet, which calls for global acceleration of clean energy adoption, HDFC Bank said in a statement.

Under its pillar of natural resource management, HDFC Bank Parivartan has installed over 61,655 solar streetlights across 22 states, it said.

It has also launched a range of solar initiatives that are enhancing rural life - from street safety to drinking water, farming, food processing and livelihood enhancement, it said.

Recognising that infrastructure alone is not enough, HDFC Bank has developed Solar Shiksha, an awareness initiative designed to demystify solar energy adoption in semi-urban India, it said.

Solar Shiksha addresses the lack of awareness, process barriers, and myths that often prevent adoption, it said, adding that the programme provides crucial education and practical demonstrations as well as information on government schemes and subsidies.

Speaking about its initiatives, HDFC Bank Deputy Managing Director Kaizad Bharucha said, "Our solar energy initiatives under Parivartan are designed to bring real, measurable change - lighting up streets and homes, while also creating opportunities. On Earth Day, we reaffirm our commitment to scaling up such impactful models across India."

The bank recognises that the democratisation of solar energy goes further than technological deployment, HDFC Bank Head (Corporate Social Responsibility) Nusrat Pathan said.