Power Finance Corp Sponsors Surgeries of 100 Hearing Impaired Kids
Setting an example of how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can transform lives of the communities big corporations serve, Power Finance Corporation (PFC) Ltd has come forward to sponsor Cochlear Implant surgeries for 100 children with profound hearing loss under their CSR project implemented by Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO).
To implement the project, PFC and ALIMCO last year signed an MoU in New Delhi for conducting Cochlear Implant surgeries of 100 beneficiaries for FY 20-16-17 on PAN India basis valuing Rs 6 crore and 30 lakhs.
Cochlear Implant surgeries are done through Ali Yavar Jang National Institute of Speech and Language Disabilities (Divyangjan), Mumbai under Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.
Post operative rehabilitation is undertaken by audiologist and speech language pathologist and special educator of hearing impaired. Parent have very important role in stimulating child to learn speech and language at home and maintain the external part (processor).
Hearing impairment has a significant impact on the child and his family. Considering the wide ranging impact of hearing impairment, early identification and intervention during the critical learning years, has been found to be very important to minimize the impact of the hearing impairment in the child’s over all development. Most of children who are born deaf or hard of hearing can learn to listen to their own voices, listen to the voices of others and listen to the sounds of life.
An estimate shows that around 35,000 children need Cochlear Implant annually in India. Government of India has made provision to sponsor 500 numbers under the ADIP Scheme which is minuscule in comparison to actual requirement. Till date more than 1,000 numbers of Cochlear Implant Surgeries have been successfully conducted in the country under the ADIP Government of India and CSR funds.
Today, CSR in India has gone beyond merely ‘Charity and Donations’. As per provisions of Company Act 2013, it is now mandatory for all companies to contribute 2% of their 3 year average annual net profit on their CSR activities as mentioned in Schedule VII of the acts with effect from April, 2014.
Further added in Scheduled VII there is provision of aids and appliances to Divyangjans under ‘Promoting Health and Care including preventive health care’.
Activities undertaken by corporates under their CSR obligation could prove a game changer for providing sustainable development in social sector. Disability sector is one of the area which needs to be addressed for inclusive growth of the society and CSR provide the huge opportunity to serve the persons with disabilities that fall under vulnerable section of society.
