Nagaland: YouthNet urges to make CSR mandatory for NE states

Dimapur, Aug. 23 (EMN): Highlighting that the North Eastern states are really deprived as it does not attract corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds, the founder of YouthNet, Hekani Jakhalu, has urged upon the Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, to make CSR mandatory for NE states.

“Even if a minimum of 1% of INR 1.25 lakh crore is made mandatory for the North East, it will have an immense impact in the lives of hundreds and thousands of people in the NE and uplift the development of the region,” said Hekani during the inaugural programme of the ongoing Nagaland CSR and Investment Conclave in Kohima on August 22.

Hekani also reminded the Union Finance Minister that nothing was impossible for the government to commit for the larger interest of the common good, an update from YouthNet stated. 

It stated that since 2006, YouthNet has impacted over 1.20 lakh lives in the field of education, development, entrepreneurship and livelihood in partnership with the government and corporate house such as SRTT, IBM, Microsoft, Godrej, Accenture and Quest Alliance.

Hekani highlighted that in 16 years of work with corporate, there were two key takeaways. Firstly, accordingly to her, unlike conventional projects, when NGOs, corporate and the government work in synergy under a common framework, there are more effective agents of change to facilitate development in the society. Secondly, when corporate decides to choose organisations to be the agents of change, the relationship does not end with the disbursement of financial grant, the corporate expertise to help in designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating the project. She added that the hands-on experience has built the capacities of the organisation.

She cited an example of how YouthNet along with small organisations recently won the World Bank bid for education reform in Nagaland, which they competed against big global firms. She stated that it was made possible because of the learning experience on all aspects of project management and delivery from corporate partners over the years.

She also appealed to the corporate to open many more opportunities for potential agents of change to collectively work and achieve the common goal and vision to uplift the needy section of the society.

It mentioned that the inaugural programme was addressed by the Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio; Planning minister, Neiba Kronu; CEO of IDAN, Alemtemshi Jamir; Nagaland Chief Secretary J Alam; Secretary of North East Council, Moses Chalai; president designate of CII, R Dinesh; and secretary, Sanjay Malhotra.