Bharti Wal-Mart has provided 10 pushcarts to the unemployed and economically disadvantaged from rural areas located near its cash-and-carry store, Best Price Modern Wholesale, in Amritsar today.
The pushcart owners, now holding legitimate businesses, have been signed up as members of Best Price Modern Wholesale, to enable them to procure fresh produce at best prices and pass on these benefits to their customers.
In keeping with its strong commitment to sustainable development, Bharti Wal-Mart joined hands with Coca-Cola India to undertake a plantation drive in and around Best Price Modern Wholesale store as part of their drive to plant over 2,000 saplings in Amritsar.
This initiative also rolls out Bharti Wal-Mart’s project, in partnership with the Amritsar Municipal Corporation, to adopt and manage the road stretch from Taranwala Bridge up to the end point of Amritsar Municipal Corporation.
Bharti Wal-Mart has also partnered with the Divisional Forest Office to plant trees on the eight km stretch on the G T Road from Amritsar Gate to Best Price Modern Wholesale store.
Speaking on the occasion, Raj Jain, managing director and CEO, Bharti Wal-Mart Pvt Ltd, said, “Bharti Wal-Mart is committed to giving back to the community it serves. These initiatives underscore our belief and culture of caring for the community and the environment. We strongly believe that an efficient and profitable business goes hand-in-hand with being a good steward of the environment and in supporting communities.”
“We are happy to partner with Coca-Cola India who shares similar concern for the environment, for greening around our store. Our ‘Go Green’ project, in partnership with Amritsar government officials, underscores our long-term commitment to the development of Amritsar,” he added.
Lending their support, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd National Director (Key Accounts) Ashutosh Singh said, “Preservation and protection of the environment is a key priority for the Coca-Cola system in India. However, this is an issue that requires all stakeholders to come together and arrive at meaningful solutions. Bharti Wal-Mart has provided us with an excellent opportunity to partner with them in this green initiative. Our associates and bottler’s are excited to join this Green partnership with Bharti Walmart and to extend it to all other cities where Bharti Walmart is present in the country.”
Bharti Wal-Mart also launched India’s first skills training centre under public-private partnership (PPP) with the Punjab government in December 2008.
The training centre, which offers 100 per cent scholarship to all enrolled candidates, aims to bridge the shortage of skilled workers for cash and-carry and organised retail formats, thereby creating employment opportunities for the youth.
Nearly 1,200 students have been certified out of which 335 have been placed in various jobs and nearly 100 are placed in Bharti Wal-Mart’s, Best Price Modern Wholesale store.
Bharti Wal-Mart supports initiatives focused on enhancing opportunities in education for under- privileged through philanthropic programmes and partnerships and has adopted four Satya Bharti Schools for underprivileged children in Amritsar.
Through this initiative, Bharti Wal-Mart provides uniforms, meals, study materials and a conducive environment to educate children. Bharti Wal-Mart associates engage with the children regularly through voluntary activities.
