Javadekar exhorts PSUs to select genuine NGOs, set accountable targets for CSR

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday exhorted state-owned enterprises to select genuine NGOs, set accountable targets and proceed with a definitive action plan to achieve favourable outcomes through their CSR activities.

Addressing a conference on "Transformation of Aspirational Districts - CSR Initiatives by CPSEs", the minister stressed that the objective of corporate social responsibility (CSR) should be the upliftment of villages.

He underlined the importance of having "a genuine NGO, definite action plan, accountable targets, participation (of people)".

Recalling his childhood years, Javadekar, who holds the portfolios of Information and Broadcasting; and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, said he has witnessed poverty firsthand and therefore understands the country.

Department of Public Enterprises in December, 2018 issued guidelines to all the central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) for spending 60 per cent of their CSR funds on a particular theme every year with reference to aspirational districts.

The theme for the year 2019-20 is health-care, nutrition and school education, while for 2018-19 it was health-care and school education.

Every year, the average CSR spend of CPSEs is about Rs 3,500 crore and 60 per cent of this works out to be Rs 2,100 crore and this amount can bring about significant improvement in the areas of health-care, nutrition and school education sectors in the aspirational districts.

The Aspirational Districts Programme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January, 2018 with the objective to improve the socio-economic indicator of 112 relatively less developed districts in the country. It is a significant initiative for achieving the vision of New India 2020-22 through the guiding principle of Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas aur Sabka Vishwas.