The Hindu Business Line : `Corporates should help in rural development'

CORPORATE bodies and banks have a significant role to play through contribution to strengthening the human and social infrastructure in the rural areas by committing a certain percentage of their profits for the purpose , the Chairman and the Managing Director of the Indian Bank, Mr M.B.N. Rao, has said.

Talking to the presspersons here on Saturday, on the sidelines of the celebration of the eight-foundation day of DHAN Foundation, a spearhead institution engaged in rural development and eradication of poverty, he said the definition of poverty should include human and social infrastructure development.

Irrigation and water resources are getting scarce in States like Tamil Nadu. Promotion of self-help groups has brought a new hope in the rural areas. However, they need training in spheres such as marketing, branding etc to succeed in the long run. Government efforts are there but they are limited.

Corporate bodies must come forward to help the community at large.

They can finance and strengthen the efforts of the tested and committed agencies engaged in the task.

Indian Bank is engaged in such endeavours right from 1989, helping the self-help groups and advancing to municipalities and panchayats, he said.

The Executive Director, DHAN Foundation, Mr M.P. Vasimalai said the foundation, functioning in the southern States, has been spearheading the women self-help movement in the rural areas and strengthening tank irrigation in villages through promotion of farmers' clubs.

It is also engaged in imparting leadership training, wasteland development and strengthening administration of panchayats.

Earlier, inaugurating the Foundation Day celebrations, Mr Rao launched the "Philanthropy for Development" under which contributions could be made to finance the cost of development programmes.

The Deputy Managing Director of the Small Industries Development Bank of India, Mr Balasubramanian, inaugurated the National Network of Federations of Self-Help Groups, a forum to share experiences and evolve joint efforts towards the objectives they work for.

A certificate course for leaders of Panchayats was also launched.

Fifty-two candidates, under TATA-DHAN Academy, doing post-graduate diploma in Development Management, took oath to dedicate themselves for rural development.

More Stories on : Rural Development | Tamil Nadu

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