Jamshedpur/Mumbai: Tata Steel Foundation and Standard Chartered have announced a significant expansion of their collaboration to implement an integrated watershed management and climate adaptation project aimed at improving water security, restoring degraded natural resources, and strengthening livelihoods in vulnerable rural communities.
This three-year project, culminating in December 2028, is designed to enhance water security and strengthen livelihoods in East Singhbhum district of Jharkhand and Keonjhar district of Odisha, regions that are predominantly rain-fed agrarian landscapes facing recurring water stress and climate variability. Interventions such as dams, trenches, irrigation and soil improvement will serve to enhance adaptation and resilience outcomes, allowing communities to be more climate prepared.
This new project is expected to benefit approximately 12,500 community members across the project sites and will increase water conservation capacity and expand irrigation coverage. It also aims to raise water storage by 37.74 million cubic feet and bring an additional 1,545 acres under irrigation.
Tata Steel foundation and Standard Chartered have been collaborating since 2024 in these regions to enhance water security and support rural livelihoods. To date, the partnership has already benefited 7,500 people across 15 villages, establishing over 50 water conservation structures that generate an estimated water storage capacity of approximately 14.8 million cubic feet and irrigate nearly 300 acres of farmland.
Standard Chartered continues to demonstrate leadership in climate adaptation alongside the Foundation, engaging in projects that build resilient communities through sustainable water management and climate-risk preparedness. It actively drives responsible growth by integrating innovation and community-focused development into its core strategy.
Karuna Bhatia, Head of Sustainability, India, Standard Chartered, said, “Building on the success of our collaboration since 2024, this new phase allows us to further deepen our impact across Jharkhand and Odisha. Our focus remains on community-led governance and integrated watershed management, ensuring that the 37.74 million cubic feet of new water storage capacity translates directly into sustainable agricultural growth and long-term ecological resilience for the tribal-dominated areas we serve. Our continued collaboration represents a shared commitment to building climate-resilient futures for people and communities.”
Sourav Roy, Chief Executive Officer, Tata Steel Foundation, said, “Climate action must be rooted in the needs of vulnerable communities, who are often on the frontlines of environmental change. At Tata Steel Foundation, we believe in advancing this through our partnership with Standard Chartered Bank, where we aim to implement integrated watershed management that reflects a shared commitment to restoring natural ecosystems while strengthening water security and sustainable livelihoods for tribal communities. Together, we hope to enable communities to build long-term resilience, become active stewards of their natural resources, and build on this partnership to drive meaningful, scalable impact for communities and ecosystems in the years ahead.”
The project will help restore degraded natural resources and strengthen climate resilience watershed areas through integrated watershed management, sustainable agriculture, and community-led governance to improve livelihoods and ecological sustainability. Key interventions include soil and water conservation measures such as earthen check dams, contour trenches, field bunds, gully structures, farm ponds and groundwater recharge structures. These efforts are aimed at improving groundwater levels, expanding irrigated areas, and enhancing agricultural productivity.
