Mumbai, March 23, 2026: Standard Chartered India has reaffirmed its commitment to building water-resilient communities through its flagship WASHE (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene, and Education) programme, with plans to make 92 additional villages water secure by March 2027.
The initiative is expected to benefit nearly 21,000 households across seven states, including Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Ladakh, Odisha, and Jharkhand. The programme focuses on sustainable water management, sanitation, and community empowerment, with a strong emphasis on gender inclusion.
As part of its upcoming interventions, the bank plans to construct 983 new water harvesting structures, creating a water holding capacity of 4,621 thousand cubic metres across multiple states. Additional efforts include irrigating 3,598 hectares of land, setting up 389 aquatic systems, and developing water infrastructure such as farm ponds, borewells, and percolation ponds.
Standard Chartered also aims to establish 28 water-secure gram panchayats in Odisha, further strengthening decentralised water governance.
The WASHE programme currently operates across diverse geographies, from the deserts of Rajasthan to high-altitude regions in Ladakh, targeting tribal and socio-economically vulnerable communities. It spans 17 districts and has already made 879 villages across 38 districts water secure.
The programme’s impact includes the creation of 5,769 water conservation and harvesting structures, generating an annual freshwater capacity of 218.4 crore litres. Since 2020, it has reached over 20.7 lakh beneficiaries, with nearly 47% being women. Additionally, 2,690 community groups have been formed and strengthened to support local water governance, while 70,153 community members have been trained to ensure long-term sustainability.
In arid regions such as the Thar desert, the initiative has also supported beneficiaries with 290 bio sand filters, improving access to safe drinking water.
Speaking on the initiative, Karuna Bhatia, Head of Sustainability, India, Standard Chartered, said, “Reliable access to safe water is the foundation for creating healthy, resilient communities and sustainable livelihoods. Through our WASHE programme, we are working closely with communities, local institutions and partners, as part of our strategy to create scalable and self-sustaining solutions that address water security, climate resilience and sanitation challenges. On World Water Day, we reaffirm our commitment to empowering communities across India with sustainable water management solutions that can create lasting impact.”
Through its WASHE programme, Standard Chartered India continues to focus on integrated, community-led approaches to address water security challenges and support climate resilience across vulnerable regions.
x
 (1).jpg)
