FM Sitharaman to arrive in Nagaland for 3-day visit, inaugurate CSR event

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to arrive here on Monday on a three-day visit to Nagaland to participate in various programmes, including the state government's first conclave on corporate social responsibility and investment, an official said.

She will inaugurate the CSR and investment event at Nagaland Baptist Church Council Convention Centre at 4 pm in the presence of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio.

Sitharaman will also participate in the investors and bankers' meet with a specific focus on Nagaland and is likely to announce various CSR projects of corporate houses and industries during the conclave, the official said.

More than 100 corporate delegates and investors from various parts of the country have confirmed participation in the three-day event and are expected to extend CSR funding up to Rs 160 crore, official sources said.

Sitharaman will visit Mon on Tuesday morning to inaugurate the first branch of Axis Bank in the remote district.

The union minister will also hold a closed-door meeting with the Nagaland business community at Chumoukedima before leaving for Delhi on Wednesday.

The conclave on corporate social responsibility and investment is open to all the civil society organisations of the state, which have fulfilled the requirements of being registered under the corporate law and have been implementing CSR projects for at least two-three years.

These organisations will propose over 400 projects to attract investors, of which mostly are related to the health and education sectors, the official sources said.

The conclave, which was earlier scheduled to be held on July 4 and 5, was postponed as the union minister was not able to visit the state at that time.