IIM Nagpur joins hands with state govt, Tata Motors to help transform Maharashtra villages

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Nagpur on Friday said it has signed a pact with Tata Motors Foundation (TMF) and the Maharashtra government to launch IVDP 2.0 (Integrated Village Development Programme 2.0) that will help transform villages in the state through the use of modern management techniques. ''We don't want our expertise to stay only inside classrooms. Through this initiative, IIM Nagpur is going directly to the doorsteps of farmers and rural families. We are bringing world-class management to the village level to ensure every child gets a better education and every farmer gets better support,'' IIM Nagpur Director Dr Bhimaraya Metri said in a statement. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Maharashtra government, IIM Nagpur and Tata Motors Foundation on Thursday. Tata Motors Foundation CEO Vinod Kulkarni noted that to enhance the quality and scientific rigor of this initiative, they are seeking IIM Nagpur's engagement in providing inputs to strengthen and refine the planning process for Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) formulation, validating the final GPDPs, and undertaking a comprehensive impact assessment after three years of implementation. ''We are creating a 'success formula' that can be used to develop any village in India, starting right here in Maharashtra,'' Prof Anoop Kumar, Professor of Practice at IIM Nagpur added.