Railways to partner CII to promote CSR activities

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has said his ministry will partner with CII to promote CSR in India, and tackling societal issues at large. A CSR cell is also in the pipeline. "[We must] use corporate ability to deal with natural resource management. It is fundamental for long term economic growth," he said today. Areas like water harvesting, health care, education are in the focus where government can work with the corporates

to enhance productivity. "We think about water only when there is a drought. The challenge is to address the problem between two droughts," Prabhu added.

In line with the railway minister's announcement, CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said that the industry body will try and rope in the entire corporate sector to work with the Railways.

With toilets being the major focus for Railways, and also a part of Swaccha Bharat Abhiyan, the ministry is working to improve them with a number of NGOs lending a hand in the task.

As companies must spend 2 per cent of their net profits every year towards CSR, the minister added that the better corporates fare, the better it is for the growth of society.