Top CSR Projects in Nagaland

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.

In FY 2021-22, the state received a cumulative of Rs. 12.42 crore of CSR funds, which is way higher as compared to the previous financial year 2020-21, when the state had received only Rs 3.57 cr CSR funds. A total of 20 companies carried out their CSR projects in the state. The CSR initiatives were carried out in a total of four sectors – Health, Rural Development, Environment and Education. The largest CSR spender in the state was Techno Electric and Engineering Company Ltd which spent Rs. 4.21 crore, followed by National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (2.24 cr) and REC Limited (1.91 cr).

With an aim to attract more CSR funds, the State of Nagaland hosted a three-day CSR conclave starting on Monday, 22^nd 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.

Finance Minister at Nagaland CSR Conclave

There are problems in people’s expectations about CSR, because of which states like Nagaland have to wait for CSR to come, the Union minister said. However, she expressed confidence that the coming of companies for the conclave will be the stepping stone and many more will come and start investing in the state.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), according to Sitharaman, has said that it will open a training facility for Naga youngsters to improve their talent. She also recommended that the state government utilise the Atal Innovation Mission Projects of NITI Aayog to establish scientific labs in schools and innovation hubs in the upper classes to advance the study of science and technology.

The minister urged the government to emphasise organic goods. Sitharaman asked that the state government create a Task Group of Naga Youths to help establish the brand of Nagaland throughout the nation and that Nagas should have suitable branding for their products.

In order to draw CSR investments, she also opened exposition booths set up by various districts, departments, civil society organisations, and NGOs. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio thanked the Indian government for emphasising the development of the region’s north.

Top CSR Projects in Nagaland

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.

Giftmilk Program by NHIDCL

National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) has committed to providing milk to over 3,800 school students in the State as part of the “Giftmilk” programme under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative. The “Giftmilk” pilot project has been initiated by NDDP (National Dairy Development Board) Foundation for Nutrition (NFN).

The pilot project envisages providing milk to over 3,800 students from Kohima and Dimapur districts till 29^th May 2021. Four government schools each from both the districts have been selected for the purpose.