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Corporate spending for activities related to COVID-19 qualifies as CSR: Govt

The interpretation of the activities qualifying as CSR for Covid-19 will also be interpreted liberally to prevent red tape from squeezing fund flows.

Corporate spending for activities related to COVID-19 qualifies as CSR: Govt

Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharama. (Photo: AFP)

The corporate spending for various activities related to COVID-19 including the promotion of healthcare, preventive healthcare, sanitation, disaster management would be considered as a part of the Corporate Social Responsibility, the government said.

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs in a circular said that corporate spending for various activities related to COVID-19 would be treated as CSR.

The interpretation of the activities qualifying as CSR for Covid-19 will also be interpreted liberally to prevent red tape from squeezing fund flows.

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Ministry of Corporate Affairs in its official statement said, “Keeping in view of the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in India, its declaration as pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and, the decision of Government of India to treat this as a notifies disaster, it is hereby clarified that spending of CSR funds  for COVID-19 is eligible CSR activity.”

The CSR rules make it mandatory for large Indian firms to set aside at least 2 per cent of their average net profit for socially responsible expenditures.

The norms are applicable to firms with at least Rs 5 crore net profit or Rs 1000 crore turnover or  Rs 500 crore net worth.

With the approval to include COVID-19 huge funds flow is expected to come into the healthcare segment.

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