CSR initiatives invited to support growth of underdeveloped blocks in western Tamil Nadu

Regional Convergence Conclave in Coimbatore mobilizes CSR for underdeveloped blocks across eight districts, focusing on key development indicators.

The Coimbatore district administration and the Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission organised a Regional Convergence Conclave in Coimbatore on Wednesday to mobilise corporate social responsibility (CSR) contributions for nine blocks identified under the Focus Blocks Development Programme (FBDP) across eight districts.

District Collector Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar, who chairs the FBDP District Committee, said the initiative aims to identify blocks that require additional government support while integrating the current departmental schemes to enhance public infrastructure and improve the living standards of economically weaker households. He highlighted that Coimbatore has a strong presence of CSR initiatives and civil society organisations. In addition to government funding, alternative sources such as CSR and Corporate Environment Responsibility (CER) funds will be leveraged for development of the blocks.

The nine underdeveloped blocks, located across Coimbatore, Erode, Namakkal, Salem, Tiruppur, the Nilgiris, Krishnagiri, and Dharmapuri districts, were selected based on their performance in key development indicators (KDIs).

R. Srinivasan, a full-time member of the State Planning Commission, explained that under the FBDP, 50 KDIs with 106 sub-indicators are used to assess development across seven themes: health, social welfare, education, skill development and employment, agriculture and allied activities, economic development, and infrastructure.

He emphasised that all government initiatives related to these indicators will be prioritised in these blocks to improve their development performance. He further noted that beyond financial contributions, ideas and expertise from NGOs and private companies will be reviewed and vetted by the government for effective implementation.

In Coimbatore district, a total of 45 projects under the themes of health, education, and infrastructure have been proposed at ₹10.87 crore, Mr. Srinivasan said.

The event included discussions on region-specific development requirements and case studies of CSR initiatives from the region. A total of 14 private organisations were recognised for their outstanding contributions.