Bhubaneswar: The state government has asked various companies operating in the state to focus on non-DMF districts while executing development programmes under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Chairing the CSR Council meeting here recently, Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi has instructed the companies to focus on 22 districts, which do not come under the orbit of District Mineral Fund (DMF) and Orissa Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC).
The government has issued the directive because the eight districts covered under DMF are receiving sufficient funds to execute various developmental projects. The districts covered under OMBADC are — Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Kendujhar, Koraput, Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh.
The government has also decided to give priority to education, health services and rural development projects under CSR. The government also intends to use the funds for other categories projects, including environment conservation and improvement, gender equality and empowerment, relief works, Swachh Bharat, preservation and development of national heritage, sports, slum area development, etc.
According to sources, the state government has institutionalised spending of the CSR funds. A web portal named GO CARE (Government of Orissa-CSR Administration and Response Engagement) has been made functional for CSR management and responsive engagement with corporate houses.
The companies were further directed to implement the CSR activities on project mode and upload their progress on the website.
Industry secretary Sanjeev Chopra said that CSR spending in the state between 2014-15 and 2017-18 is about Rs 1426 crore.
Around 1593 rural development projects, 1119 education and skill development projects, 1011 health care projects, 384 environment improvement projects, 273 projects for promotion of sports and culture, 204 national heritage conservation projects, 191 projects under Swachh Bharat Mission, 160 projects relating to gender equality and improvement, 22 projects relating to armed forces, 16 relief-oriented projects and seven slum area development projects have been implemented with the fund so far, the source said.
PNN
