Question : Misuse of CSR Funds

(a) whether the Government has come across any cases where companies are misusing public trusts to launder their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) spending and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government plans to extend tax exemptions for CSR spending on all the activities mentioned under Schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013;

(c) if so, the details thereof and the amount spent by Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) under CSR during the last 3 years particularly in Maharashtra;

(d) the details of the projects undertaken by PSUs during the last 3 years in the State of Maharashtra under CSR; and

(e) whether the Government plans to amend and reduce the economic threshold for CSR under Section 135 to promote and include more companies under CSR, if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FINANCE
AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS (SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR)
??????????????????????????????????????????? (???????????????????)
(a) : The entire CSR architecture is disclosure based and CSR mandated companies are required to file details of CSR initiatives annually in MCA21 registry. Centralized Scrutiny and Prosecution Mechanism was setup to monitor CSR compliance by companies. Whenever any violation of CSR provisions is reported, action against such non-compliant Companies are initiated as per provisions of Companies Act, 2013 after due examination of records.
(b) : No, Sir.
(c) & (d): Project wise CSR details are not maintained. However, CSR spending by PSU’s in all the states including Maharashtra is as follows:

Year
of
Filing FY 2015-16 FY 2016-17 FY 2017-18
No. of Companies Total
Amount
Spent (in Cr.) No. of Companies Total
Amount
Spent (in Cr.) No. of Companies Total
Amount
Spent (in Cr.)
PSU 532 4,214.67 546 3,295.98 527 2,553.36
NON PSU 17758 10,302.52 18993 11,033.55 20870 11,067.15
Total 18290 14,517.19 19539 14,329.53 21397 13,620.51
(Data upto 30.06.2019) [Source: National CSR Data Portal]
[
(e): No, Sir.
*******