Ambuja Cement’s Impact Report Highlights Gains in Water Conservation and Rural Livelihoods

Ambuja Cement’s development programmes under its Water Resource Management (WRM) and Community Infrastructure Development (CID) initiatives have delivered strong socio-economic and environmental returns, with measurable outcomes across livelihoods, agriculture, education, and health.

According to the Impact Assessment and Social Return on Investment (SROI) study, every rupee invested generated significant community value — with WRM projects yielding an SROI of ₹3.52, and CID projects recording ₹2.66.

The study found that over 1.5 lakh beneficiaries were directly impacted across project locations. Increased irrigation potential and increased crop output were the results of improved water gathering systems. Irrigation on more than 3,200 hectares was secure; farmers thus could broaden their horizons crop-wise and lift their income levels.

The total water storage capacity in the water industry went up by 3.5 million cubic metres, which in turn improved groundwater levels and reduced reliance on sporadic rainfall. Rural families that had previously been experiencing water shortage were able to take advantage of the large increase in the supply of potable water.
Other positive results were the creation of jobs and the diversification of sources of income. The WRM projects created over 2.1 lakh person-days of work, while infrastructure and construction-related community initiatives added another 1.8 lakh person-days.

Women’s participation in economic activities increased through self-help groups and microenterprises, contributing to better household income security. The assessment recorded a 30% rise in women’s income across project areas.

Health and education interventions, though secondary to the WRM and CID focus, also recorded measurable improvements, with improved sanitation coverage and school attendance rates showing an upward trend.

The overall impact of all the projects has been equally beneficial on the environment.. The actions taken, such as cutting down soil erosion, increasing the area under vegetation, and adopting water-efficient methods, resulted not only in long-term sustainability but also in better climate adaptation for the region, which could be seen by the fact that there was groundwater recharge and less dependence on water from outside the area.

The experiments have pointed out that if companies act justly in social investments, they will not only receive the benefits of developing widespread and sustainable regions but will also improve the economies of the neighbourhoods where they operate due to the combination of public participation and proper scientific water management.