Hyderabad, August 25, 2025: Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP), Government of Telangana, to expand the reach and impact of Mahila Shakti Canteens. The partnership aims to empower and train over 1,000 women entrepreneurs associated with more than 100 canteens across the state.
The agreement was formalised by Smt. Divya Devarajan, IAS, Chief Executive Officer, SERP, Government of Telangana, and Shweta Punetha, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), HCCB, in the presence of senior officials.
Under the MoU, HCCB will design and implement CSR initiatives through training self-help groups (SHGs) in areas such as financial and digital literacy, sales, marketing, and retail management. SERP will align the initiative with district development plans and state and central government schemes, while also supporting community mobilisation and stakeholder coordination.
“Mahila Shakti Canteens are symbols that stand for economic empowerment and independence for women. Beyond serving nourishing meals, these canteens provide rural women with opportunities for self-reliance, building their independence, and fostering entrepreneurship. Our partnership with HCCB will enable and empower the women entrepreneurs to be self-reliant with the necessary skills and training,” said Smt. Divya Devarajan, IAS, CEO, SERP, Government of Telangana.
Himanshu Priyadarshi, Chief Public Affairs, Communications & Sustainability Officer, HCCB, added, “We believe entrepreneurship is the foundation of resilient and inclusive growth. As we sign this MoU with SERP, we reaffirm our commitment to the community development and continuing our investment in Telangana's future growth and prosperity. We're confident that this partnership will have a lasting, positive impact on communities, serving as a model for holistic development, and making these canteens social hubs where women independently own enterprises and empower other women in their communities.”
This collaboration falls under HCCB’s Project SHINE, its CSR initiative built on five core thematic areas: environment and disaster management, health and hygiene, women’s empowerment and livelihood, education and skill building, and community empowerment.
According to the company, Project SHINE has already impacted more than one lakh individuals in Telangana through initiatives such as health and hygiene awareness programmes, Anganwadi upgradation, waste management projects, and digital learning solutions.
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