GANDHINAGAR: Times of India reported that the profit making public sector units (PSUs) in the state have been asked contribute to corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives by developing model schools and adopting modern diagnostic centres in different parts.
Sources said chief secretary Varesh Sinha asked the PSUs to adopt greenfield or existing model schools, along with modern diagnostic centres and also run these on a regular basis. The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) has ordered key PSUs to fund these social projects under the government’s Rurbanisation (urban facilities in rural areas) schemes.
A senior government official said,”The government has ordered all key PSUs to take up as many projects as possible, under the new rurbanisation scheme. Initially, the education and health departments were asked to co-ordinate with select PSUs. The education department and PSUs will forge a strategic partnership to set up model schools, either by up-grading existing schools or by setting up Greenfield schools in ‘rurban’ areas. The PSUs will also open modern diagnostic centres at primary health centres (PHCs) and community health centres (CHC) in these areas.”
The managing director of a leading PSU said that the government has decided on a two-year timeframe for the PSUs to execute the plan. “Though state PSUs take up CSR initiatives on a regular basis, the new targets are very high and affect our budgetary provisions. It also affects our business as we have to divert money,” he said.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its report on PSUs in Gujarat, had pointed towards the need for increasing profitability of the state’s PSUs.
(Times of India, 22 April 2013)
