Maharashtra FM Mungantiwar advises corporates to work in districts with low HDI

Sudhir Mungantiwar said the move will also help in fulfilling the dream of Dr B R Ambedkar

Maharashtra Finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar today advised the corporates to work in districts with low Human Development Index (HDI), a move that will help accelerate development of Maharashtra.

"Corporates should work in districts with low HDI. Public and Private Sector companies are implementing various projects at numerous locations through their CSR funds. If all this work can be brought together, the development of state can be accelerated," Mungantiwar said.

He said the move will also help in fulfilling the dream of Dr B R Ambedkar who championed the cause of equality for all in the society.

"While utilising CSR funds, if the districts with lower HDI are considered and if the local needs and problems are accounted while planning the CSR projects, Dr Ambedkar's dream, where all are equal, will come true," he added.

The minister said the corporate sector can be of help in areas like sanitation, tree plantation, skill development, development of Anganwadis through their CSR funds.

"Today there are 97,000 anganwadis in the state and the government is planning to digitise and make them 'smart'. Corporate world can give their assistance in these projects as well," he said.

He added that all the information related to government CSR projects will be made available on a website to be developed soon.

"We will provide all the necessary assistance required to the corporates. India will lead when Maharashtra will be number 1 in various development areas, so we should work together to bring the state and the nation to the frontier," he said.

Yesterday, the first meeting of corporate leaders as part of the 'Maha CSR' was organised by Government of Maharashtra at Raj Bhavan.

The meeting was organised to seek the involvement of corporates in the implementation of various social and welfare programmes of the government.