Rail ministry portal invites CSR funds for developing amenities at stations

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal Tuesday launched a web portal wherein private and public sector undertakings can contribute their corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds to develop amenities at railway stations.

The companies wanting to contribute can register their requests on the portal - Rail Sahyog - and choose the amenity they want to promote.

The railways has identified five activities in which such contributions will be allowed -- toilets in circulating areas, providing free Wi-Fi with kiosks for e-services for citizens at stations, plastic bottle crushing machines, steel benches and dustbins.

"We want the process of using CSR funds to be simple and transparent. All we are desirous of is that a certain quality standard is maintained. The company which does contribute will have their names, logos or even company names on the initiatives. We have no problems with that," Goyal said.

The portal also gives a cost estimation for each activity - Rs 22 lakh to Rs 30 lakh per station for toilets, with provision for low-cost sanitary pad vending machines, incinerator in female toilets and condom vending machines in male toilets, and initial one year maintenance.

The cost for providing free Wi-Fi at stations through setting up hotspots has been set at Rs 10.30 lakh to Rs 12.30 lakh. Similar provisions have been fixed for benches
(Rs 17,500 to Rs 47,500 per set), bottle crushing machines (Rs 3.5 lakh to Rs 4.5 lakh per machine) and dustbins
A change in the company law in April 2014 mandated that businesses with annual revenues of more than