MUMBAI: Godrej Group Chairman Adi Godrej today appealed to corporate India to help Dalit entrepreneurs as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative. “Dalit entrepreneurs need to be encouraged. Companies need to come forward and help them.
They should take it up as a CSR activity,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the first-ever national trade fair organised by the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (DICCI) here. The association is involved in creating business opportunities for its members and empowering them through information and knowledge exchange.
“If these entrepreneurs get the right kind of support and encouragement, we will see a huge growth momentum in the next three-five years,” Godrej said. Asked about reservation for the Dalits in jobs in private sector he said, “I am not for any kind of reservation.
There should be affirmative action and not reservations. If we want to encourage Dalit entrepreneurs and provide jobs to the community people, then reservations will not help.” Meanwhile, DICCI Chairman Milind Kamble said the Dalit community now needs business leaders.
“The Dalits have so many leaders. But we need business leaders now. What entrepreneurs desperately need is an umbrella to push their corporate agenda. Our association has grown more assertive in claiming that the Dalits are not mere takers, but givers as well.”
(PTI)
