To date, the Akanksha platform has attracted over 300 crore rupees in CSR funding for various socio-economic development projects in the state of Karnataka
New Delhi: The Akanksha platform, an integrated Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of the Karnataka government, was honored with the India CSR Impactful Program Award for Akanksha in New Delhi.
The award was handed over to Dr. Shalini Rajneesh, IAS, of the Department of Planning, Program Monitoring, and Statistics for the Government of Karnataka by Chief Guest Shri R.K. Sinha, Hon’ble Former Rajya Sabha Member and Founder & CMD of Security & Intelligence Services (India) Limited (SIS), in the presence of Rusen Kumar, Founder and Managing Editor of India CSR.
The award was bestowed on her at the 11th edition of the prestigious India CSR Awards, which recognize excellence in corporate social responsibility by India CSR, India’s largest CSR Media Company. A grand ceremony was organized by the India CSR at the PHD chamber of commerce on Saturday, December 17, 2022, in New Delhi.
To date, the Akanksha platform has attracted over 300 crore rupees as CSR fund towards various socio-economic development projects in the state of Karnataka, with 78 projects currently underway and 23 projects completed and providing benefits to the community.
Currently, Dr. Shalini Rajneesh serves as the Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Planning and Statistics in Karnataka. In this role, she leads the Sustainable Development Goals Coordination Center in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Under her leadership, the state of Karnataka is currently ranked 3rd in the country in terms of progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The state is actively working towards becoming the top-ranked state in the country in this regard.
Through the Akanksha portal, 520 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been registered as CSR implementing partners, and 255 donors, who are also CSR funding companies, are registered on the platform.
The Karnataka government is working to maximize the impact of CSR funding in the state and has partnered with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to facilitate collaborations between public-private partnerships, CSR organizations, foundations, NGOs, multilaterals, and line departments.
The Akanksha initiative is being led by Dr. Shalini Rajneesh, IAS, of the Department of Planning, Program Monitoring, and Statistics for the Government of Karnataka. The government has also made efforts to fast-track the signing of partnership agreements and approvals for required permissions to maximize the social impact of investments.
CSR spending in Karnataka has steadily increased
CSR spending in Karnataka has steadily increased over the past several years, with over 1600 crore rupees invested in 2019-2020 alone. The focus areas for CSR in the state include healthcare, education and livelihoods, and housing. Specifically, efforts are being made to improve the nutritional outcomes and well-being of citizens, strengthen skilling initiatives in line with industry needs, and innovate for affordable and sustainable housing. The Akanksha platform is playing a vital role in these efforts and is being recognized for its impactful projects and initiatives.
In total, CSR spending in Karnataka from 2014 to 2021 amounted to 8,107 crore rupees.
CSR spending in Karnataka during the period from 2014 to 2021 included 403 crore rupees in 2014-2015, 751 crore rupees in 2015-2016, 854 crore rupees in 2016-2017, 1163 crore rupees in 2017-2018, 1281 crore rupees in 2018-2019, 1602 crore rupees in 2019-2020, and 953 crore rupees in 2020-2021.
In total, CSR spending in Karnataka from 2014 to 2021 amounted to 8,107 crore rupees.
India CSR Awards
The India CSR Awards is an annual mega event that recognizes and honors exceptional corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in India. Presented by India CSR, the awards honor the best CSR practices in a variety of sectors, including education, healthcare, the environment, community development, and more. The awards also recognize individual and organizational achievements in CSR, and are considered the most prestigious CSR awards in India. This year, over 15 large companies were recognized for their significant contributions to society at the India CSR Awards.
(India CSR)
