New Delhi – One hundred and forty six Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) spent 3442.42 crore on their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities during the financial year 2017-18 (Apr-Mar), Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Arvind Ganpat Sawant told the Lok Sabha.
The expenditure made by the CPSEs during 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 was Rs 2450.31 crore, 4028.04 crore and Rs 3336.50 crore, respectively, the minister informed.
Sawant was responding to questions raised in the lower house of the parliament by Dharambir Singh, Member of parliament (MP) from Bhiwani-Mahendragarh, Haryana.
Data for the year 2018-19 would be available after publication of Public Enterprises Survey 2018-19, the minister said.
The Companies Act 2013 prescribes 17 areas of CSR activity in Schedule VII of the act. Section 135 of the Act lays down rules for CSR activity in India. The companies are required to spend at least 2% of the amount of the net profit for the last 3 financial years.
The policy which became effective from 1 April, 2014, mandates those companies for CSR activity which have net worth of 5 billion rupees or more; or turnover of 10 billion rupees or more; or net profit of 50 million rupees or more during any financial year.
“State-wise, CPSE-wise and location-wise details of activities/ projects undertaken by CPSEs under CSR and number of beneficiaries are not maintained by DPE centrally,” minister said when asked to give details about the funds incurred on various activities; number of beneficiaries during the said period and the location.
The minister further said that the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) has not yet received any social audit Rreport regarding monitoring of CSR funds, incurred by CPSEs.
