Livelihoods and Community Engagement

In recent years, the Indian government has implemented various programs aimed at empowering women by providing sustainable livelihood opportunities. These initiatives focus on enhancing skills, promoting entrepreneurship, and ensuring financial inclusion, thereby enabling women to contribute significantly to the nation’s economy. National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) Launched in 2011, the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), also known as Aajeevika, aims to reduce poverty by enabling poor households to access gainful self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities. The mission focuses on organizing rural women into Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and federating them at various levels to ensure their financial and social inclusion. As of 2017, NRLM had mobilized over 45 million women through SHGs, covering more than 40% of rural India. Kudumbashree

Under the National Clean Ganga Mission, the Uttar Pradesh government has implemented special cleanliness management measures for Rs. 152.37 crore for Mahakumbh 2025. These initiatives combine modern technology with traditional practices to ensure a clean and sustainable environment for the sacred event. Maintaining the purity of the Ganga, effective waste management, and creating plastic-free zones are top priorities for the organization of Mahakumbh 2025. The event is being presented as a benchmark for environmental responsibility, with a strong emphasis on maintaining cleanliness throughout the fair area. Over 28,000 toilets, including 12,000 Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP) toilets equipped with septic tanks and 16,100 prefabricated steel toilets with soak pits have been installed across the fairgrounds. These toilets aim to promote an

In a major effort towards strengthening the Indian sports ecosystem to host the 2036 Olympic Games, Honorable Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya urged corporates to adopt one sport during the first-ever corporate round-table conference on Thursday. Dr. Mandaviya emphasized a vision to position India among the top five global sports performers by 2047, as the nation marks 100 years of independence. Aiming to bridge the gap between aspirations and execution, he stressed the critical role of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in building sustainable sports infrastructure and talent development programs. He also proposed that PSUs from the Centre support state-level requirements to achieve sporting excellence. “Each corporate entity should focus on a single sport to ensure dedicated

Climate change, one of the most pressing challenges of our time, has sparked a global call to action. In India, this call resonates deeply as businesses take proactive steps to mitigate their environmental footprint. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has emerged as a powerful mechanism driving sustainable development in the country. Indian companies are leading the charge by adopting renewable energy, reducing waste, and integrating sustainability into their core operations, proving that economic growth and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand. The Role of CSR in Addressing Climate Change India’s CSR mandate under the Companies Act, 2013, requires qualifying businesses to allocate 2% of their profits towards social and environmental causes. While early CSR initiatives were predominantly philanthropic, the focus

The corporate sector should come up with a concrete action plan to ensure that the benefits of economic reforms and industrial growth are available to the people living in poverty. Public-private partnerships for rural development are receiving increased attention in the international community. The idea of linking for-profit business with the broad concerns of governments for economic and social development and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is becoming increasingly manifested in a growing family of efforts within and outside the UN system. CSR initiatives can support revitalizing these traditions by providing market linkages, skill training, and access to finance. This preserves cultural heritage and creates sustainable livelihoods, contributing to the economic upliftment of rural artisans and craftsmen. The