CB BureauOnce again presenting the government’s firm stand on the newly formed corporate social responsibility (CSR) spending norms, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated, ‘If you do not spend the money, the government can certainly ask why you are not spending. And we will surely ask.’ The minister made this statement while addressing a CSR conclave organized by Indian Chamber of Commerce in Guwahati.
‘Every corporate house has the responsibility to give back to the society. Corporates are the wealth creators. But they also have a duty to the nation. Through CSR you can create and nurture the wealth of society together with people who live there. Everyone expects the government to deliver, but actually it can only facilitate,’ Sitharaman said at the conclave.
Subtly urging the corporates to invest their CSR funds to strengthen the government’s initiatives, the minister said, ‘The Government of India’s mission Make In India should see a large interest from those it is meant for.’
She emphasized social accounting to keep a check on the utilization of CSR funds and also advised corporates to utilize their CSR spends on Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Campaign). She pointed out that the campaign would have a tremendous impact on sanitation, social environment, health and overall economy of the nation.
The minister had presented a similar stance in August while replying to a question in Rajya Sabha. She had said that the government was ‘keenly watching the companies and in case a company does not meet the norms, we will certainly ask for reasons.’ She had informed that the government would keep a close watch on CSR spending of corporate groups and check whether they were complying with the law as mandated in the new Companies Act. Read the earlier CauseBecause report here.