Carlson join hands with Plan India to help underprivileged kids

New Delhi, July 10 (UNI) It was yet another instance of a corporate body lending its mite for a social cause, from merely being the purveyers of wealth, a fact that famous Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor candidly acknowledged on his visit to the capital to grace the announcement of four projects to alleviate the sufferings of underprivileged children.

''Earlier it was the kings who were responsible for social welfare. Today, the mantle has been taken up by the corporates,''Anil Kapoor said at a press meet to announce the collaboration between Carlson India worldwide with Plan India, a non governmental organisation working for children in adverse circumstances, for a project aimed at ensuring basic rights to the underprivileged and needy children in society.

Anil, who was here in the capacity as the brand ambassador and also the patron (as filmmaker Govind Nihalani informed) of Plan India, said the involvement of a corporate like Carlton Hotels, known the world over for their generous hospitality, was a welcome development as the same spirit of service would now come into being in their welfare measures for needy children.

''I have myself partaken many a time of the hospitality of Carlton group of hotels across India and found it to be one of the best in the world. So, I was quite excited when called upon to grace the commencement of relations between Plan India and Carlton hotels to work together for the social welfare of these children,''Anil said.

As per their collaboration towards child welfare, Carlton Hotels and Plan India will initially work on four projects of Plan India that work to ensure rights of children.

Speaking on the occasion, chairperson of the Plan India and noted filmmaker Govind Nihalani said,''the programmes on which Carlton India and Plan India would collaborate focus on working towards preventing instances of child labour.

The initiatives supported by the Carlson-Plan partnership include enabling children living on platforms to live with dignity. The initiative will cover children living on the Hazrat Nizamuddin, Faridabad, Agra and Mathura platforms.'' Also part of the collaboration is a literacy initiative for children in a community living at a port of Mumbai; a night shelter for working and street children in Varanasi and a project undertaken in fishing communities of 217 villages in Andhra Pradesh to educate and provide vocational training to the children.

Speaking on the occasion, Executive Vice president of Calton hotels in South Asia, K B Kuchru said,''we wanted an organisation that would complement our vision and global presence. An association with an international organisation like Plan will help us to achieve our goal of making a difference in the lives of these underprivileged children.'' Describing the initiative as an example of increasing sense of social responsibility exhibited by Corporates in India, Mr Nihalani said,''it is a great example set by Carlson and we hope that more such initiatives are undertaken in the corporate world.'' As per the initiative, that involves all Radisson hotels and resorts and country inns and suites by carlson properties of the Carlson group in India, Rs 40 at every guest check out would be contributed by each hotel owner to the Plan India mission.

UNI