Companies spent Rs 11,867 cr on CSR activities in FY19; highest so far

Maharashtra tops the list; Bihar, N-E suffer with lower spends

Companies are spending increasing amounts on charitable contributions through the corporate social responsibility (CSR) route. The total expenditure in 2018-19 (FY19) was Rs 11,867.2 crore. This is the highest since such spends became mandatory in FY15. (See chart 1)

The Companies Act made it necessary for firms to spend at least two per cent of their average net profit over the preceding three years on CSR projects. The spends could be under heads ranging from education and healthcare, to sports or for ensuring gender equality. 

The FY19 spend is 17.2 per cent higher than the Rs