The Tamil Nadu Planning Commission has appealed to corporates and industries to provide Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds which will be utilised mostly to benefit marginalised and tribal communities.
In a Regional Convergence Conclave organised in Coimbatore on Wednesday, the district administration and the State Planning Commission appealed for CSR funds for nine blocks identified under the Focus Blocks Development Programme (FBDP) across eight districts. The conclave was a platform to boost partnerships between government agencies, civil society organisations and CSR initiatives and address developmental gaps in the nine blocks across the eight participating districts.
Role of Focus Blocks Development Programme
In 2023, 50 underdeveloped blocks were identified by the State Planning Commission and the Focus Blocks Development Programme was commissioned to improve them. Despite having allocated Rs 4,500 crore for the next three years for this programme, it is insufficient and more CSR contributions are needed for comprehensive results. These were highlighted during the FBDP regional convergence conclave held in Coimbatore on Wednesday. Coimbatore district’s Anaimalai block is one of the selected blocks under the FBDP.
District Collector Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar, Chairperson of the FBDP District Committee, said the initiative is aimed at identifying blocks that require more support from the government while integrating the existing departmental schemes to enhance public infrastructure and improve the living standards of financially weaker households. He highlighted that Coimbatore has a strong presence of CSR initiatives and civil society organisations. In addition to government funding, alternative sources such as CSR and Corporate Environment Responsibility (CER) funds will be leveraged for development of the blocks.
Professor R Srinivasan, a full-time member of the State Planning Commission informed that a FBDP portal is being created. This portal will outline the development requirements for the 50 selected blocks in the state. Around 107 indicators like infant and child health, sports infrastructure, school infrastructure from various departments have been identified for the FBDP. The relative changes in these indicators over the years, compared to the 50 blocks, will be updated in the portal.
CSR in Tamil Nadu
Talking about some of the latest Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives in Tamil Nadu, VisionSpring Foundation has collaborated with The United Planters’ Association of Southern India (UPASI) under its ongoing ‘Livelihoods in Focus’ outreach programme. The partnership aims to provide vision screenings and corrective eyeglasses to more than 2,00,000 tea and coffee workers and their families in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala by 2028, transforming these states into clear vision regions.
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), in collaboration with Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vahini, conducted FinLit Festivals, interactive events focused on promoting financial literacy among students in August, last year. These events marked the launch of ACCA’s Financial Literacy programme at two schools in Chithode, Tamil Nadu, and Macherla, Andhra Pradesh, aimed at empowering students in grades 6-9 with essential financial skills at no cost.
Meanwhile, Ashok Leyland, in partnership with Hinduja Leyland Finance extended their ‘Road to School’ CSR programme to 352 schools in Erode, Salem and Dharmapuri Districts of Tamil Nadu last year, the company said in an announcement. Ashok Leyland is aiming to help improve the primary and middle school education in government schools in these three districts. The purpose of the program is to bring about social equality among the school students in the remote villages.
