Need of strengthening SHG-led FNHW interventions Stressed (See 'Corp Brief') Santosh Kumar Takhele takes addl charge as Regional Executive Director, NTPC (See 'Corp Brief') IPR - Franchise India can't be allowed to pass off their products as that of Rasna's, since it may confuse members of trade and also of general public involved: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Scindia interacts with Postal and Sorting Assistants for spirit of 'Dak Sewa, Jan Sewa' (See 'Corp Brief') ESIC launches SPREE 2025 to expand Social Security Coverage (See 'Corp Brief') FERA - No penalty can be levied if therre is no default in realization of export proceeds: SAFEMA (See 'Legal Desk') CCI again penalises Federation of Publishers' and Booksellers' Association (See 'Corp Brief') CCI approves acquisition of equity in NACL Industries by Coromandel International (See 'Corp Brief') Hardeep Puri highlights LPG Connections and Oil & Gas Reforms (See 'Corp Brief') Arbitration and Conciliation Act 1996 - 613-day delay in filing appeal can be condoned where no valid explanation is given for this inordinate delay: HC (See 'Legal Desk') CCI nod for investment by British International in ReNew Photovoltaics (See 'Corp Brief') CCI okays acquisition of shares of Billionbrains Garage Ventures by Viggo Investment (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - Request for timeline for disbursal of claim in form of query, rather than request for information u/s 2(f) of RTI Act, is not permitted: IBBI (See 'Legal Desk') Pondicherry Univ launches Governance Cell to inspire Next-Gen Public Leaders (See 'Corp Brief') MoS discusses Coastal Action Plan, Deep Ocean Prospects in Puducherry (See 'Corp Brief') IPR - Controller of Patents must clearly specify in hearing notice 'known substance' against which claimed invention of applicant is being assessed: HC (See 'Legal Desk') MoU signed to develop MY Bharat 2.0 Platform (See 'Corp Brief') 8th National Level Steering Committee meeting of Atal Bhujal Yojana held (See 'Corp Brief') SARFAESI - If borrowers have already availed remedy u/s 17 and secured creditor has no other alternative remedy, then creditor can avail remedy of petition under Article 227: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Centre issues Model Rules to States to aid Ease of Doing Business in Agroforestry (See 'Corp Brief') We have to make cycling trend in this modern generation: Mandaviya (See 'Corp Brief') Arbitration & Conciliation Act - Commercial Court not justified in refusing to release 25% of arbitral award to petitioner-company solely due to its change of name: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Sonowal hails Brahma Kumaris for 50 years of spiritual service and human upliftment (See 'Corp Brief') CEA organises All-India Electrical Safety awareness programme (See 'Corp Brief') SEBI - Delay in filing appeal not condonable where facts reflect that appellant was clearly aware of proceedings commenced by SEBI but did not prosecute appeal: SAT (See 'Legal Desk') Why Family Businesses in India Are Losing Their Own Bloodline (See CORP EINSICHT)

Govt panel tables report on CSR; moots for making CSR tax deductible

Published: Aug 13, 2019

By TIOLCORPLAWS News Service

NEW DELHI, AUG 13, 2019: THE Secretary (Corporate Affairs), Mr Injeti Srinivas, today presented the Report of the High Level Committee on CSR to the Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Ms Nirmala Sitharaman. The Committee has made far reaching recommendations.  The main recommendations  include, making CSR expenditure tax deductible, provision for carry forward of unspent balance for a period of 3 - 5 years, aligning Schedule 7 with the SDGs by adopting a SDG plus framework (which would additionally include sports promotion, Senior Citizens'  welfare, welfare of differently abled persons, disaster management and heritage protection), balancing local area preferences with national priorities, introducing impact assessment studies for CSR obligation of 5 crore or more and registration of implementation agencies on MCA portal. 

The other recommendations include developing a CSR exchange portal to connect contributors, beneficiaries and agencies, allowing CSR in social benefit bonds, promoting social impact companies, and third party assessment of major CSR projects.

The Committee has emphasized on not treating CSR as a means of resource gap funding for government schemes. The Committee discourages passive contribution of CSR into different funds included in Schedule VII of the Act.  It has emphasized on CSR spending as a board driven process to provide innovative technology based solutions for social problems.  The Committee has also recommended that companies having CSR prescribed amount below Rs. 50 lakh may be exempted from constituting a CSR Committee.  The Committee has also recommended that violation of CSR compliance may be made a civil offence and shifted to the penalty regime.

The High Level Committee on CSR was constituted in October, 2018 under the Chairmanship of Secretary (Corporate Affairs) to review the existing CSR framework and make recommendations on strengthening the CSR ecosystem, including monitoring implementation and evaluation of outcomes.  The Members of the Committee included Mr Sameer Sharma, DG & CEO, Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs, Dr A.K. Mittal, former CMD, NBCC, Mr N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons, Mr Amit Chandra, MD, Bain Capital Private Equity, Mr B.S. Narasimha, former Addl. Solicitor General of India, Mr Rajeev Luthra, Founder & MD, Luthra and Luthra Law Office, Ms Shobana Kamineni,  Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo,    Prof. Anil Gupta, Founder, Honey Bee Network and Professor, IIM, Ahmedabad, Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra, President, Indian Olympic Association, Mr S. Santhanakrishnan. Chartered Accountant and Mr Mathew Cherian, CEO, Helpage India.  Mr Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, was the Member and Convener.

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