Software major Wipro would work with the Karnataka government to fight air pollution in the state, especially Bengaluru, said an official statement on Tuesday.

“Wipro Chairman Azim Premji assured Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy of associating with the state government in minimizing air pollution as part of the IT major’s corporate social responsibility (CSR),” said the statement from the Chief Minister’s office.

On Premji’s bidding, Kumaraswamy said Additional Chief Secretary, Forest, Environment and Ecology, Sandeep Dave will be appointed as the nodal officer for coordinating the anti-pollution programme.

“Premji also showed interest in partnering with the state government to implement programmes on zero budget as he was doing in Andhra Pradesh,” said the statement.

Azim Premji Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation in the field of education from primary schools to university, will also partner with the state government in improving the quality of education and infrastructure of schools across the state.

The Foundation has been working since 2000 with the elementary education system in state-run schools in rural areas.

With over 1,000 employees, it has field institutes in 40 districts in 6 states, including Karnataka to impart education in 350,000 schools across the country.

State Chief Secretary T.M. Vijayabhaskar, Additional Chief Secretary, Finance, I.S.N. Prasad, Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development, Mahendra Jain, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister E.V. Ramana Reddy were also present at the meeting between Kumaraswamy and Premji at the state secretariat here