Dipali Sharma

A 14-year-old girl working as a domestic help for a senior judge with the Haridwar civil court who was allegedly denied food for long periods and beaten up by her employer frequently was rescued by police on Monday.

"The purpose of this meet is for different organizations to share their experiences and learn from one another.Inequality is growing day by day, and this problem must be addressed through these activities.

Much before the Companies Act, 2013, introduced the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR), companies and institutions had voluntarily taken up initiatives to address social and economic challenges faced by disadvantaged sections of the society. But this changed dramatically after the Act mandated companies to spend 2% of their net profit for CSR. With resources now mobilized, the focus has shifted to efficiency and sustainability of these activities.

Attending the programme as chief guest, Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha member Prasanna Patasani said most social welfare activities were inconsistent with people's holistic development.

Many want to contribute to those affected by floods and incessant rains. Some NGOs are involved in relief work in Kerala, Karnataka and Maharashtra.