Nagaland is a border state of India with a majority of its population consisting of tribals. The state is considered to be an eco-sensitive zone for its role in supporting unique biodiversity. Because of this, as well as some other political factors, the state of Nagaland has not benefitted from development making it highly deserving of CSR investments. However, according to the National Corporate Social Responsibility Data Portal, Nagaland is not a preferred ground for undertaking CSR activities by the corporates in India.
With an aim to attract more CSR funds, the State of Nagaland hosted a three-day CSR conclave in August 2022. The Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman participated in the conclave and inaugurated 52 projects to be sponsored by various companies in Nagaland as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility. Most of the projects are related to health, education and skill and entrepreneurship development. Lamenting that Nagaland has not been getting enough CSR investment, she said the North-eastern state should be the natural choice of companies and investors.
CSR contribution in North-Eastern India is almost negligible due to poor industrial development. Therefore, North-Eastern states are deprived from the social development and environmental conservation initiatives which are taken up by various companies through Corporate Social Responsibility.
With an aim to attract CSR funding towards North-Eastern India, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) hosted the North East CSR Connect on July 3rd and 4th, 2024 in New Delhi. The purpose was to bring together government, industry, and NGOs to collaborate on developing the North Eastern Region of India. CII has been working to raise awareness about the region’s potential and the importance of strategic investment there.
CSR funds received in FY24
In FY 2023-24, Nagaland received Rs 15.41 crore of CSR funds. A total of 35 companies carried out their CSR projects across 8 districts of Nagaland. The CSR initiatives were carried out in a total of four sectors – Health, Encouraging Sports, Education and Rural Development. Kohima received the highest share of CSR funds – Rs 7.12 crore, followed by Tuensang with Rs 3.01 crore and Mon district with Rs 1.87 crore.
The largest CSR spender in the state was REC Ltd which spent Rs. 3.53 crore, followed by Future Gaming & Hotel Services Pvt Ltd (2 cr) and DPF Textiles Private Limited (Rs 2 crore).
Initiative by Govt of Nagaland for children
The National Health Mission, Government of Nagaland and Vitamin Angels India (VAI) entered into a partnership in May this year to strengthen and expand evidence-based nutrition interventions, specifically vitamin A supplementation and deworming among under-five populations. A Technical Support Group has been created including key officials from NHM, Nagaland and Vitamin Angels India. The demonstration pilot will be undertaken across 3 districts, namely Dimapur, Niuland and Chümoukedima over 2024-25. The project is an extension of an ongoing partnership between both parties and uses an implementation science approach to increasing the demand and improving the supply and delivery of vitamin A.
Micronutrient deficiency is a major contributor to childhood morbidity and mortality globally. Vitamin A is an essential nutrient for the immune system and severe Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) can cause irreversible childhood blindness, reduce immunity and increase chances of mortality from measles and diarrhoeal disease. The Government of India recommends that children under 5 years of age receive 9 dosages of vitamin A supplements every six months, starting at age 9 months.
Top CSR Projects in Nagaland
CSR of Titan Company Limited for agriculture
Vriddhi is a spring shed cum livelihood CSR initiative by Titan Company Limited in Phek district of Nagaland, which is benefitting over 3,000 tribal families with a focus on spring shed management, agriculture, and livestock-based livelihood initiatives. Through the watershed and spring shed initiatives, Titan Company has created water holding capacity of over 173 million litres.
CSR of NTPC Bongaigaon for healthcare
In an attempt to enhance healthcare services in MON district of Nagaland, NTPC Bongaigaon has recently launched a project worth Rs 98.6 lakhs under its Corporate Social Responsibility. The CSR project includes the provision of two Advanced Life Support ambulances and two mortuary vans, aimed at enhancing emergency medical response and healthcare facilities in the region. A memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for this project was signed recently through a virtual event. Ajit Kumar Verma, IAS, MON district, signed on behalf of the district administration, while Onkar Nath, Head of Human Resources from NTPC, Bongaigaon represented NTPC as signatories.
CSR of NBCC India for healthcare
The National Buildings Construction Corporation(NBCC) (India) Limited in March this year completed the construction of Community Health Centre in Seyochung sub-division of Kiphire district. This project is part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). CSR funds worth Rs 2.35 crore were spent to implement the project. According to an announcement made by the company, they have also provided an ambulance and medical equipments for the CHC.
The equipment include Hematology Analyzer 3 part (Nihon Kohden); Semi-Auto Biochemistry Analyzer (RMS); Multi-para Patient Monitor (Phoebus P515); Ultrasound Machine P12 Elite (Sonoscape); Vesta 3-ch ECG Machine (RMS); 300MA- X-Ray Machine with Accessories (RMS); Four fowler bed with mattress, collapsible side railing, head & leg bow, medical castor and IV stand.
CSR of SBI General Insurance
SBI General Insurance in association with North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd. (NEDFi) in August, 2023 collaborated with Chakhesang Women Welfare Society on a project aimed at creating local employment and enhancing the livelihoods of families specifically in the Pfutsero region in Phek district of Nagaland. Under this CSR project, SBI General and NEDFi aim to empower farmers and their families from Nagaland in North Eastern region in the next two years by generating direct local employment at both the factory and farm level.
The project envisages the upgradation of food processing unit-based machinery, focusing on the raw material strength of Nagaland, especially in Phek district, which is best known for its favourable conditions for horticulture and availability of a wide variety of food and crops, including high-value crops such as kiwi, persimmon, wild apple, gooseberry etc.
This project is expected not only to contribute to the State’s GDP but also generate the much-needed local employment opportunities in rural areas and business opportunities for local entrepreneurs. The upgrading of the unit will help capitalise on the state’s rich raw material strength and focus on producing juices, candies, pickles, jam and jellies etc.
CSR of Numaligarh Refinery Limited
A first of its kind Histopathology unit was inaugurated at Naga Hospital Authority, Kohima under the initiative of Investment and Development Authority Nagaland (IDAN) and the Department of Health and family Welfare (DoHFW), Nagaland in March this year.
This is the first histopathology unit that has been installed under the CSR initiative of Numaligarh Refinery Limited. Crucial for a number of services that involve examining the tissues and ultimately detect diseases through sophisticated techniques and expert evaluation by pathology, the Histopathology Unit is equipped with automatic tissue processor, embedding station, cooling plate, manual microtome, tissue flotation bath, grossing instruments, cytocentrifuge among a host of other equipment.
CSR of Power Grid Corporation of India
The Power Grid Corporation of India Limited as part of its CSR, donated a rescue van to Child Helpline 1098 in Mokokchung in December, 2023. The donation was officially made to the Deputy Commissioner who serves as the Chairman of the District Child Advisory Board. In October last year, a memorandum of understanding was signed between PGCIL and the Deputy Commissioner of Mokokchung to initiate this Corporate Social Responsibility activity.
SBI Gram Seva
SBI Gram Seva, a flagship program of SBI Foundation was launched in August 2017. It is an integrated rural development program bringing socio-economic change in the villages through the adoption of villages. The program has broad objectives of achieving digitalisation of villages, promotion of quality education, improving primary health services, providing safe drinking water & sanitation, livelihood generation, the convergence of government schemes, empowerment of rural women & youth, improvement of rural infrastructure, and environment protection.
The foundation launched the program in Nagaland with ANMA Integrated Development Association (AIDA), the development wing of Salesians of Don Bosco, Dimapur Province, as its implementing partner. Under the program, five villages of Nagaland have been adopted namely: Ura, Bade, Diezephe, Khrizephe and Tsithrongse, for 3 years from 2020 to 2023.
Electrification of a Village by Global Himalayan Expedition
The Shinnyu village under the Mon district administration which is considered to be in the remotest part of the district has been electrified with solar power as part of a CSR initiative of the Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE). According to DIPR report, a total of 60 households, Churches and community hall was electrified using solar power. The entire cost for the project stood at Rs. 23 Lacs. The Shinnyu village is also considered to be the last village along the Indian Border.
Antaran by Tata Trusts
Antaran is an initiative by Tata Trusts to bring seminal changes in craft development, beginning with the Handloom sector, designed to transform traditional crafts through a multidimensional approach for technical, design, enterprise and market development interventions to strengthen craft based livelihoods. Antaran creates awareness about the rich heritage of Indian handloom and handicrafts, bring due recognition as well as returns to traditional artisans for their unique skills. The initiative consists a five-year program including Incubation & Design Centres for handloom development in select clusters of Assam, Nagaland, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
Through this platform, Antaran promotes exquisite textiles of lesser-known handloom regions in India. Visitors to the site are able to directly access a wide variety of high quality, local, environmentally and socially conscious products from skilled artisans; while trade buyers and designers are able to establish long-term business relationships with them with facilitation support from a team of professionals as part of the initiative.
These Centres works as education and business development hubs for artisans, enabling them to be designer-weavers and build a community of micro-entrepreneurs across the handloom value chain in each region.
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