Chief secretary Rajbala Verma today argued cogently how funds from corporate social responsibility (CSR) could help Jharkhand, a state where the four maps – of poverty, forest cover, mineral deposits and water – converged into one.
Speaking at the second edition of The Telegraph ‘s Caring Jharkhand, A CSR Conclave, a daylong event held at a city hotel, Verma, as chief guest, stressed she was a “big individual CSR believer” and how its funds could help build toilets especially in slums and remote villages identified as priority areas by state CSR Council headed by chief minister Raghubar Das.
“We are the first state in India to have a CSR Council,” said Verma this morning. “During the council meeting earlier this month our chief minister said we should be the first state to become open-defecation free by 2019 by constructing 30 lakh toilets. With help from CSR funds we can certainly achieve this aim. By this year-end, we aim to construct 12 lakh toilets and by 2019 30 lakh toilets,” she added.
Incidentally, the CSR Council was mooted by chief minister Das during the first edition of The Telegraph CSR conclave last year in Ranchi. Das, who was supposed to attend this year’s meet as well, could not as he returned from Delhi to Ranchi in the afternoon.
Though the chief minister’s presence was missed, Verma’s articulate and logical speech was received well by the 500-strong audience, including one-fifth of them students. Verma made a strong case for CSR spend in the state by arguing that the use of natural resources should be commensurate with what is ploughed back.
“Public and private companies, through their CSR spend, should impact development and social betterment by supplementing government work in a manner that the outcome is both measurable and sustainable,” Verma said.
Toilets apart, the chief secretary said provision of drinking water was also a priority area and the state would utilise CSR spend in this area.
“At the CSR Council meeting, we identified potable water in mining areas as a priority area as well. Companies involved in mining would be asked to spend CSR in this sector. More than 40 per cent of Indian mineral deposits are found Jharkhand. Contribution of mining companies is paramount to improve living standards in mining areas,” Verma said.
Verma added she was a great believer of individual social responsibility as well. “I strongly believe we should look at inculcating the spirit of individual social responsibility in children to make them socially responsible adults,” said the 1983-batch IAS of Jharkhand cadre and wife of former bureaucrat-turned politician J.B. Tubid.
Industries and mining secretary Sunil Kumar Barnwal, the guest of honour at the conclave, said streamlining CSR funds and resources towards specific ends was very important.
“Before the CSR Council, companies used to spend CSR funds based on their own priorities near areas of their operation. Through the council, their CSR work is now being aligned to state priorities. Not only big corporate houses, smaller companies can also contribute in these areas,” Barnwal, who also heads the CSR executive committee, said.
He added that during the council’s recent meeting, deputy commissioners of all districts were directed to prioritise spending from the District Mineral Foundation Trust. “We calculated that we can have Rs 300 crore a year from the Trust alone, with funds from mining companies who pay royalty. This resource can be used to better living standards of people in mining areas,” he said, adding digital literacy and career counselling for adolescents were other key areas identified by the executive meeting.
He also cited the upcoming sports university, a mega long-term venture to hone talents from scratch for which the state tied up with Central Coalfields Limited, and stressed the government was open to more such partnerships.
The daylong conclave started 10.30am when Verma, Barnwal and other panellists, along with Shantanu Datta, resident editor of The Telegraph (Jharkhand), lit the ceremonial lamp. Datta also introduced panel discussions moderated by secretary state sports, arts and culture and youth affairs Satendra Singh; Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences director Dr B.L. Sherwal and CEO of NGO LEADS A.K. Singh.
Panellists included senior neurosurgeon and medical director of Ranchi’s Bhagwan Mahavir Medica Hospital Dr Sanjay Kumar; HEC chairman-cum-managing director Avijit Ghosh; director of Lal’s Hospital and Research Centre, Dr Rohit Lal; CSR head and company secretary of Jusco Preeti Sehgal; vice chancellor of Rai University, Jharkhand, Savita Sengar; head of corporate communications and CSR, RSB Transmission, S. Nagasubramanian and pro chancellor of Ranchi’s Sai Nath University, S.P. Agarwal.
This article was taken from here.