IMPHAL, Sept 6 - The first ever Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) conclave of Manipur was held here today. Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh inaugurated the conclave, which was attended by State Chief Secretary Dr J Suresh Babu, CSR expert Dr Bhaskar Chatterjee and Managing Director of IRG Systems South Asia Pvt Ltd Amit Jain.
Highlighting the State�s potential in different sectors, the Chief Minister invited corporate houses of the country and abroad to partner with the State in various ventures. Claiming that law and order have improved tremendously in the past few years, Biren Singh said that the Airports Authority of India has committed to provide CSR funds to the tune of Rs 4.95 crore to procure equipment for the new Accident and Trauma Centre at a State-run hospital. Likewise, the Indian Oil Corporation Limited is funding construction of community bathrooms, he added.
Informing that the State Government has identified sectors like education, skill development, healthcare, social development and human development as priority areas for CSR funding, the Chief Minister said that schools, colleges, anganwadi centres, old age homes, shelter homes and skilling centres also have scope for CSR investment, which will have a positive impact on social development.
Biren Singh also made a mention of the State�s rich resources in medicinal plants, horticultural products, aromatic plants and spices and the State�s potential in medical tourism, organic farming and floriculture, besides handloom, bamboo craft and pottery.
Technical sessions comprising business-to-government meetings, discussion on CSR partnership between government departments and corporate bodies and presentations from government departments and corporate houses were the main highlights of the conclave, which was attended by representatives of various corporate houses and NGOs within the country and abroad.
Later in the afternoon, State Governor Dr Najma Heptulla attended the concluding function of the conclave. In her speech, the Governor said that she would seek strong and proactive partnership of corporate bodies for socio-economic development of the State.
Stating the objectives and expected outcome of the conclave, Minakshi Batra, chief executive officer of Fourth Dimension Global, the main organiser of the conclave, said that they are ready to advise both the corporate entities and the Governmenton a common goal with a clear focus on priority areas for sustainable development.
Representatives of 40 corporate entities, including a US-based group, attended the conclave. About a dozen stalls of different government departments and self-help groups of the State displayed their activities on CSR-related programmes during the conclave.
