Manipur hosts first ever CSR conclave of the North East

Pothashang News Service: Imphal, September 6, 2019: Manipur government in collaboration with Fourth Dimension Global on Friday hosted the first ever Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Conclave of the North East region at City Convention Centre, Palace Compound in Imphal East.

Chief minister N. Biren Singh invited the corporate houses of the country and abroad to come to Manipur and partner with the state in different ventures. Stating that the law and order condition of the state has improved tremendously in the past few years, the chief minister welcomed the corporate world to invest in Manipur. He assured that their capital would remain safe and productive.

He said there are certain areas where Government developmental schemes had not penetrated adequately. With limited financial resources, the state government can reach its goals in these sectors only with supplementary funding through CSR route. The Airports Authority of India has committed to provide CSR funds of Rs. 4.95 for procuring equipment for new Accident and Trauma Centre at JNIMS. Likewise, IOCL is funding for construction of community bathrooms, he added.

There is unlimited potential for private investment in different sectors in the state and all these sectors also present areas of investment for CSR funds. The government of Manipur had identified social sector including education, skilling, healthcare, social development and human development as top priority areas for CSR funding, Biren said. Schools, colleges, Anganwadi centres, old age homes, shelter homes, skilling centres are only a few possibilities offering scope for CSR investment which would definitely have a greater positive impact on social development, he added.

Being Manipur the land gateway of India to South-East Asia the synergies created by the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway project would transform the state. The North East region, endowed with rich natural and cultural diversity, is now seen as the new engines of growth for India, the chief minister said.

Connectivity between Manipur which has huge potential for cultural tourism and other states and neighboring Myanmar had improved tremendously in the recent past, he added.

He highlighted the rich resources of medicinal plants, horticultural products, aromatic plants and spices and great potentials in medical tourism, organic farming and floriculture of the state.

He said Manipur is flourishing in handloom, reeds (kauna) and bamboo crafts, and pottery. A ‘Single Window Agency’ has been set up to provide one stop solution to investors and land is available on lease basis at state’s industrial estates, he added.

Technical sessions comprising Business-to-Government (B2G) meetings, discussion for CSR partnership between Government Departments and corporate bodies and presentations from Government Departments and corporate houses were the main highlights of the conclave taken part by representatives from various corporate houses and NGOs of the country and abroad. Ten stalls of different Government Departments and SHGs of the state were also opened at the conclave.

Chief secretary Dr. J. Suresh Babu, additional chief secretaries Dr. Suhel Akhtar and M.H. Khan, principal secretary (commerce and industry) P. Vaiphei, CSR expert and department of Public Enterprise, Government of India former Secretary Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee and Managing Director of IRG Systems South Asia Pvt. Ltd. Amit Jain attended In the opening session of the conclave.

Textiles, commerce and industries minister Thongam Biswajit Singh assured full support and cooperation to the corporate houses from the State government, during an interaction session with representatives and officials of corporate houses at the conclave.