Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) must evolve from mere legal compliance into a powerful engine of inclusive growth, Odisha Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati said on Tuesday while addressing the Bridge Bharat Summit 2026.
Speaking as chief guest at the national seminar titled “Corporate Social Responsibility: Visible Problems and Challenges,” organised by the state’s Public Enterprises Department in collaboration with the Odisha Corporate Foundation and Freedom Edu, the Governor called on companies to become responsible partners in Odisha’s development journey.
“Compliance should never be the goal of CSR,” the Governor emphasised. He urged industries to shift from a spend-and-report approach to a strategic, participatory and outcome-focused model that prioritises credible execution, deeper community involvement and measurable impact.
Recalling the structured framework created under the Companies Act 2013, Dr. Kambhampati noted that CSR has already channelled resources into health, education, livelihoods, women empowerment, environmental sustainability, rural development and disaster management. Yet he stressed the need to raise the bar higher, especially in rapidly industrialising sectors such as steel, power, mining and manufacturing.
The Governor advised companies to balance industrial growth with environmental responsibility, climate resilience and community welfare. He recommended prioritising education, healthcare, drinking water, nutrition, livelihoods, skill development, sports, rural development and disaster preparedness. Education, he said, deserves special focus—basic literacy and numeracy, teacher training, digital learning, scholarships and mentorship can transform the lives of first-generation learners, particularly in tribal and backward districts.
In mining and large industrial project areas, the Governor called for greater corporate support towards forest and biodiversity conservation, water security, livelihood restoration, local employment and women-led enterprises. Given Odisha’s vulnerability to cyclones and other disasters, he underlined the urgency of strengthening disaster risk reduction and preparedness.
Importantly, communities must not remain mere beneficiaries. They should be active partners in designing and sustaining projects, the Governor said. Greater coordination among government, industry, educational institutions, civil society and local communities can turn CSR into a true win-win. When corporate technology, skills, innovation and resources align with social priorities, CSR can deliver lasting value for Profit, People and Planet—the triple bottom line that should guide sustainable corporate growth.
Well-designed CSR initiatives, he added, can accelerate progress towards Viksit Odisha @2036 and contribute meaningfully to the national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
The event also featured addresses by Kandhamal MP Sukanta Kumar Panigrahi, Jajpur MP Dr. Rabindra Narayan Behera, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Public Enterprises Department Mohammad Sadique Alam, and IREDA Chairman and Managing Director Bijay Kumar Mohanty. Arun Kumar Rath, Chairman of Bridge Bharat Sammilani 2026 and Visiting Professor at IIM Nagpur, delivered the welcome address, while Nikhil Saraf, CEO of Freedom Edu Services Private Limited, proposed the vote of thanks.
The Governor’s message was clear: Odisha’s corporates have both the capacity and the responsibility to make CSR a transformative force rather than a statutory obligation.
