Corporate Social Responsibility in Rural Development Sector: Evidences from India

2010

Corporate Social Responsibility in Rural Development Sector: Evidences from India

139

Corporate Social Responsibility in Rural Development Sector: Evidences From India
A. Manager (Sociology) RITES LTD. (A Government of India Enterprise) RITES Bhawan 1, Sector-29, Gurgaon-122 001 email: [e-mail], [e-mail]

Sanjay Pradhan, Akhilesh Ranjan

Abstract
The paper attempts to explore Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices particularly in the context of rural development. The research questions examine do the corporate consider rural people as a stakeholder? If so, what CSR initiatives taken for development of rural areas and how the corporates implement their CSR initiatives as a part of their business strategy? Finally it evaluates impacts of CSR actions on the socio-economic development of rural people. For the purpose, fourteen public and private Indian companies/firms have been selected to study their CSR practices in the context of rural development. The methodology of the present study relied on the web-based research, review of print literature and visit to the selected sites to witness CSR practice. The paper concludes that social responsibility is regarded as an important business issue of Indian companies irrespective of size, sector, and business goal. Therefore, CSR actions have positive impacts not only on development of rural community but also in their business. The authors reveal some lesson on CSR practices in India which can provide guidance to corporate entities for better implementation of CSR activities. Key Words: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Rural Development, Stakeholder.

INTRODUCTION
No doubt, vast majorities of the India’s poorest people lives in villages and these villages are in a state of neglect and underdevelopment with impoverished people. The problems of hunger, ignorance, ill health, high mortality and illiteracy are most acute in rural areas. This is not

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