JOIN USThe newly-elected CII president Hari S Bhartia said the chamber would encourage investment in social sectors like education and skill development in Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra under the pilot project.
In his first press conference after taking over the charge of the premier industry chamber, Bhartia said CII is trying to see "how we can engage the private sector to have certain intervention in some of the select Naxal-affected districts".
Being a part of the civil society, the industry would not say "no" to investing in the disturbed areas. "Rather the industry will say.. we will be pro-active," Bhartia, who is also co-chairman and managing director of pharma firm Jubilant Organosys said.
While addressing the CII annual conference yesterday, Chidambram had said, "there is a huge trust-deficit between the elected governments and the people of these (Naxal-hit) areas". Taking a dig at the industry, Chidambaram had asked the industry: "are we content with our profit and loss accounts, our balance sheets, share of parties, daily dose of entertainment in T20 matches?"
Elaborating on the plan,CII director general Chandrajit Banerjee said under the pilot project, the chamber would help industry create jobs by training and building the spirit of entrepreneurship.
The five pilot districts are Vishakapattanam and Khammam in Andhra Pradesh, Jehanabad and Jambua in Bihar and Gadchiroli in Maharashtra, Banerjee said,adding some Jharkhand districts may also be included in the pilot project."After the industry invests in education, healthcare, skill and entrepreneurship development, you will find an automatic ambience change in these areas," Banerjee expressed confidence.
About one-third of the country's 626 districts are believed to be affected by the Maoist violence. Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are the worst-affected states. However, the situation has dramatically changed in the past few years in Andhra Pradesh