Odisha calls for uniform CSR spending across districts

In order to have uniform spending under Corporate Social Responsibility across the districts, Odisha Government today held a meeting with top corporates to discuss institutionalisation of CSR activities.
Presiding over a meeting, Industries Secretary Sanjeev Chopra pointed out the widespread disparity in CSR spending across districts.
The state Government has recently constituted a CSR Council headed by the Chief Secretary which aims to institutionalise CSR to reduce the disparity in CSR spending and assist the corporates to align their CSR activities with the state's developmental priorities, the sources said.
The state government has launched the 'GO CARE' (Government of Odisha CSR Administration and Responsive Engagement) portal for uniform spending of funds.

The portal, csr.odisha.gov.in, revealed that 10 districts of the state received about 93 per cent of the CSR spending during 2014-17, the sources said.
The CSR Council during its first meeting in December recommended more than 800 projects provided by the districts and welfare departments for the corporates to consider undertaking as part of their CSR activities.

All stakeholders including the citizens can also provide feedback relating to any particular CSR project. This is expected to bring in transparency and synergy in the CSR activities undertaken by the corporates, Chopra said.
The Industrial Policy Resolution 2015 provides the corporates with 100 per cent reimbursement on account of contribution towards ESI and EPF schemes for a period of five years in MSMEs and priority sectors for employing skilled and semiskilled persons with disabilities, the sources said.

The meeting was also attended by Niten Chandra, secretary of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) and Mansi Nimbhal, Director SSEPD.
Chandra spoke about the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 which came into force on April 19, 2017 and brought private establishments under its ambit.
He urged the corporates to take initiative to extend equal job opportunities to people with disabilities.