overnments in India may be known for their deep-seated corruption, megalomaniac leaders, and a tendency to divide and rule, but there’s no shortage of big, pompous projects. The Delhi”Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), part of the current government’s flagship programme Make in India, is one notable example. The other that comes to mind, both for its…
orget about chasing unicorns (of the other kind). The real action in India is in the manufacturing and construction sector. The former is slated to receive a huge fillip in terms of investment with the government throwing its significant weight behind it so that it can contribute a quarter of the country’s GDP by…
atified by that organisation which lends credibility to any pronouncement, the United Nations, corporate social responsibility (CSR) done the right way should lead to a triple windfall: increased profits, environment protection, and an equitable society. Leaving aside the compatibility issues of an inherently capitalistic entity (the modern corporation) with sustainability and social justice, the irony…
kay, the government has promised a Clean India by 2019. And it has asked corporate groups to pitch in. It’s not a random mandate, by the way. Contributing to Swachh Bharat Abhiyan qualifies as legitimate corporate social responsibility (CSR) spend as per the country’s famous CSR law (Section 135 of Companies Act, 2013). One of…
ith so many thrilling incidents, premeditated or otherwise”depending on whom you ask”happening every other day, it is little wonder the recent news on the BBC exposé on Assam’s famed tea gardens and the Munnar agitation has passed by most Indians. Social media was quite muted and press coverage has been obligatory at best. Keeping track…
olkswagen (VW) is the second largest carmaker in the world”first, if one measures by the number of cars sold”and is the shining beacon of German excellence. Or rather was, as it recently suffered the kind of ignominy that is the nightmare of every spin doctor. On 18 September, VW admitted to US authorities that it…
uch like in the last year, the term ‘corporate social responsibility’ (CSR) continues to be underlined in media communications from corporate groups. An interesting development this year is that corporate leaders who generally talk about growth numbers and product features are now attempting to bring the spotlight on to their CSR”and gain brownie points among…
First meet focuses on collaborations for inclusive growth Going beyond seminars and forums, in a not-quite-formal environment, sitting across a common table, Silver Circle patrons discussed at length a couple of subjects that otherwise do not get much attention and generally do not see a resolution. They had gathered for a morning of intense discussions…
On a pleasant March day (the last of the year’s pleasant March days in Delhi) at his Lutyens’ bungalow, former environment and forests minister Jairam Ramesh discussed with Padma and Ranjan the thought processes that shaped Green Signals: Ecology, Growth, and Democracy in India, his recently released book which he believes is a must-read for…
‘We not only run these schools, we also engage with local communities. We ensure that parents are motivated to send their children, especially girls, to schools.’ Some of the programmes that are helping build the lives of thousands of underprivileged children across the country are being conceptualized in the plush corporate office of India’s largest…
