Lok Sabha Question No. 286 (STARRED), answered on 2015-12-18
Subject: Sports Activities under CSR
Ministry: CORPORATE AFFAIRS
Asked by: KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE, P.P. CHAUDHARY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO. 286 ANSWERED ON FRIDAY THE 18th DECEMBER, 2015/ AGRAHAYANA 27, 1937(SAKA)

SPORTS ACTIVITIES UNDER CSR

## QUESTION

*286.  SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE: SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY:

Will the Minister of CORPORATE AFFAIRS कारपोरेट कार्य मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of activities including sports covered under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Policy;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to include more sports activities under CSR, if so, the details thereof along with the time by which the said activity is likely to be included and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (c) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government to ensure/facilitate effective implementation of CSR policy?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS कारपोरेट कार्य मंत्री

(SHRI ARUN JAITLEY)

(

श्री अरुण जेटली (

- (a) to (c):  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN ANSWER TO PART (a) TO (c) OF LOK SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  286  FOR  18TH  DECEMBER,  2015  REGARDING SPORTS ACTIVITIES UNDER CSR.

(a) and (b) : Schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013, enlists the activities that can be undertaken by the Companies under their Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) policies. Item No. (vii) of Schedule VII covers, inter-alia, 'training  to  promote  rural  sports,  nationally  recognized  sports,  Paralympic sports and Olympic sports' as eligible CSR activities. All categories of sports are covered under this item. A copy of Schedule VII is provided at Annexure.

(c) : In order to facilitate effective implementation of CSR by companies, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has  (i) amended Schedule VII of the Act to ensure that a wide range of activities are permissible CSR activities ; (ii) issued a clarificatory circular dated 18.06.2014 suggesting, inter-alia, liberal interpretation of Schedule VII; and (iii) issued amendments to the Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Rules, 2014, to (a) include 'expenditure  on  administrative  overheads'  for  CSR  as  permissible  CSR expenditure and (b) facilitate pooling of resources by companies to undertake CSR  activities. All the above  are  available on the Ministry's  website (www.mca.gov.in).

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## ANNEXURE TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 286

## ACTIVITIES COVERED IN SCHEDULE VII OF THE COMPANIES ACT 2013 AND AMENDMENTS MADE THEREUNDER

Indicative activities which can be undertaken by a company under CSR have been specified in Schedule VII of the Act, as conveyed vide notification dated 27-02-2014  and  further  amendments  to  it,  the  Schedule  VII  enlists  the following items:

- (i) eradicating  hunger,  poverty  and  malnutrition; promoting  health  care including preventive health care and sanitation including contribution to the 'Swachh Bharat Kosh' set-up by the Central Government for the promotion of sanitation and making available safe drinking water;
- (ii) Promoting  education,  including  special  education  and  employment enhancing vocational skills especially among children, women, elderly, and the differently abled and livelihood enhancement projects;
- (iii) promoting gender equality and empowering women, setting up homes and  hostels  for  women  and  orphans;  setting  up  old  age  homes,  day  care centers and such other facilities for senior citizens and measures for reducing inequalities faced by socially and economically backward groups;
- (iv) ensuring environmental sustainability, ecological balance, protection of flora  and  fauna,  animal  welfare,  agro  forestry,  conservation  of  natural resources and maintaining quality of soil, air and water including contribution to the 'Clean Ganga Fund' set-up by the Central Government for rejuvenation of river Ganga;
- (v) Protection of national heritage, art and culture including restoration of building and sites of historical importance and works of art; setting up public libraries; promotion and development of traditional arts and handicrafts;
- (vi) measures for the benefit  of  armed  forces  veterans,  war  widows  and their dependents;
- (vii) training to promote rural sports, nationally recognized sports, Paralympic sports and Olympic sports;
- (viii) contribution to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund or any other fund set up by the Central Government for socio-economic development and relief  and  welfare  of  the  Scheduled  Castes,  the  Scheduled  Tribes,  other backward classes, minorities and women;
- (ix) Contributions or funds provided to technology incubators located within academic institutions which are approved by the Central Government;
- (x) Rural development projects.
- (xi) Slum area development.

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