TCS pledges Rs 100 crore for PM Narendra Modi's 'Clean India' initiative

MUMBAI: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), country's largest software services exporter on Monday announced that it will earmark a budget of Rs 100 crore to be spent on Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government's 'Clean India' initiative.

TCS would finance hygienic sanitation facilities for girl students across 10,000 schools in the country, the company said in a press release. "This significant investment in school sanitation will help children, especially girl students, to participate in school education for a longer period of time and play a larger economic role in their communities," the company said.

Commenting on TCS's decision, N Chandrasekaran, CEO and MD said, "TCS is proud to support the Prime Minister’s Clean India initiative and would like to pledge a sum of Rs 100 crore towards it." "We firmly believe that achieving the mission of providing hygienic sanitation for girl students will have a tangible impact on the level of education achievement and development of India's next generation," Chandrasekaran added.

Stressing on "dignity of women", Modi had in his Independence Day speech urged parliamentarians and the corporate sector to help build separate toilets for girls in schools across the country by next year.

"I want to start one work from today. There should be a toilet in all the schools of our country. A separate toilet for girls...it is only then our girls will not have to quit schools.

"I urge all MPs using MPLADS funds, spend your money in building toilets in schools. I also appeal to the corporate sector of our country. Under the Corporate Social Responsibility, whatever you are spending, give priority to building toilets in schools," Modi had said.

(With inputs from PTI)