Bhubaneswar, Aug 18 (IANS) Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati on Tuesday urged corporate leaders to look beyond statutory compliance and view Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as an opportunity to become responsible partners in Odisha’s development.
Addressing the Bridge Bharat Conclave 2026 and National Seminar on “Corporate Social Responsibility: Emerging Issues & Challenges” in Bhubaneswar, Kambhampati said CSR has evolved beyond charitable giving into a broader responsibility towards people, communities, and the environment.
The Governor said India’s CSR framework under the Companies Act, 2013, has created a structured mechanism for corporate participation in social development, directing resources towards areas such as health, education, livelihoods, women’s empowerment, environmental sustainability, rural development, and disaster management.
He said compliance should never become the destination of CSR, calling for a shift from a “spend‑and‑report” approach to a strategic, participatory, and outcome‑focused model.
He stressed the need for credible implementation, greater community participation, and measurable assessment of CSR initiatives.
Kambhampati said rapid industrialisation in sectors such as steel, power, mining, and manufacturing must go hand in hand with environmental responsibility, climate resilience, and community well‑being.
He urged industries to prioritise education, healthcare, drinking water, nutrition, livelihoods, skill development, sports, rural development, and disaster preparedness through CSR interventions.
Highlighting education as a key area, he said investment in foundational literacy and numeracy, teacher development, digital learning, scholarships, and mentorship could transform lives across generations, particularly for first‑generation learners in tribal and backward districts.
The Governor also called for greater corporate support for forest and biodiversity conservation, water security, livelihood restoration, local employment, and women‑led enterprises in areas affected by mining and large industrial projects.
Given Odisha’s vulnerability to cyclones and other disasters, he stressed the need to focus more on disaster risk reduction and preparedness.
“Communities should not merely be beneficiaries of projects, but active partners in designing and sustaining them,” he said.
The Governor called for stronger collaboration among government, industry, academia, civil society, and local communities, saying CSR could create a “win‑win” situation when corporate technology, expertise, innovation, and resources are aligned with social priorities.
He said the triple bottom line principle, profit, people, and planet, must guide sustainable corporate growth.
Kambhampati said well‑designed CSR initiatives could play an important role in advancing the vision of Viksit Odisha@2036 and contributing to the larger national goal of Viksit Bharat@2047.
–IANS
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