Prasad meets top IT honchos, says industry will team up for social initiatives

IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Thursday the Indian IT industry has decided to pool its combined expertise for contributing to various social initiatives, including volunteering for social cause.

The minister also stressed that the IT sector needs to work towards coordinated CSR efforts on a common platform for the interest of backward districts.

Prasad said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a town hall in Delhi on October 24 with tech professionals to "enthuse and inspire them" to make India's digital story one of social inclusion.

The IT minister, who chaired a two-hour meeting with IT stalwarts on Thursday, said the companies in technology and electronics domain have decided to come together for "social action".

The meeting was attended by representatives of many tech companies, including Google and Samsung, as well as apex industry bodies like Nasscom and the Indian Cellular Association (ICA).

"The idea of this meeting emanated from the wish of the Prime Minister...the PM has desired, an IT industry for social action," Prasad told reporters.

Lauding strong performance of the Indian IT industry, the minister noted that technology companies had posted USD 168 billion in revenue and USD 127 billion in exports.

Time has now come for the IT industry to work, with co-ordination and compassion, for the welfare of the society, Prasad asserted.

"There is a larger need to bring corporate social responsibility (CSR) into a common pool for sharing best practices. The entire industry, IT and electronics, is committed to this and many ideas were discussed at the meeting" he said.

Some of the ideas that were thrown up at the brainstorming session include companies allowing sabbatical to employees to take up corporate social volunteering, undertaking social initiatives in backward and laggard districts and sharing of industry best practices on a common platform.

"On October 24, the PM will hold a town hall event in Delhi, where there will be thousands of IT professionals...he will also speak to CEOs and IT professionals in over a dozen locations to enthuse and inspire them to make India's digital story, one of social inclusion," he said.

Thursday's meeting was attended by Debjani Ghosh (Nasscom President), Rajan Anandan (Google Vice President - South East Asia and India), TV Mohandas Pai (IT industry veteran), BVR Mohan Reddy (Cyient Executive Chairman), and Pankaj Mohindroo (Indian Cellular Association, National President) amongst others.