The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, presented the National Corporate Social Responsibility Awards (NCSRA) in New Delhi today (October 29, 2019). The NCSRA has been instituted by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to recognize outstanding contribution in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Speaking on the occasion, the president was happy to note that those sections of society that need the helping hand most are among the main beneficiaries of the CSR activities. He said that the corporations have, thus, made a worthy contribution towards the national goals. They are helping the nation progress towards the cherished goal of building a more equitable society. They have focused on sustainable projects creating a long-term impact.

The President said that broadly, CSR initiatives have been aligned with the national priorities such as public health, education, livelihoods, water conservation, sanitation, and natural resource management. He expressed hope that innovative solutions to persisting development challenges will emerge from the CSR activities.

The President said that the government is sensitive about the need to calibrate the CSR regime to make it more effective. In September, the scope of the CSR activities was widened to include more categories of research incubators. This thrust on research and development will immensely help innovators. He said that it is equally important to internalise social welfare in the corporate culture. He urged upon corporate to motivate their employees and sensitise them to this higher calling in service of the marginalised sections of society. He said that this single step will generate enough goodwill for wealth creators among ordinary people.