Inclusion must mean real ownership

A broader understanding of the word 'inclusion' is the need of the hour, and meaningful change must go beyond numerical targets and provide people with genuine ownership and representation, speakers from the social and corporate sector said at a panel on 'Scaling Inclusion'.

On what scaling of inclusion truly looks like, Chetna Sinha, founder of Mann Deshi Bank & Foundation headquartered in Mhaswad (Satara), a pioneering financial institution for rural women, cited the example of a village woman named 'Nakusa' or 'Unwanted' by her parents who, on growing up, succeeded in getting her name on 7/12 land extracts.

Women's economic aspirations must not be defined only by external measures of success, said Liby T Johnson, executive director of Odisha-based community development group Gram Vikas. "Many women may prefer a modest but reliable income they can control rather than pursuing bigger enterprises," Johnson said.


Rachana Iyer, CSR head, IDFC FIRST Bank, said their institution focuses on groups on the margins, including rural women and people with disabilities and neurodivergence. Calling for stronger partnerships between corporations, NGOs and governments, Rekha Pillai, CSR head, Castrol India, underlined how their flagship projects have helped over 6 lakh people from the unorganised sector.