Dimapur: With a measly amount of Rs 2.98 crore out of total Rs 20,260.25 Crore expenditure across India, Nagaland received 0.1% of the funds spent by companies under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities for the financial year 2020-21, the Rajya Sabha was informed recently. 

The state-wise data on CSR expenditures provided by the Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) in a written reply on April 5 further indicated that the North-East States continues to be one of the most neglected areas for CSR activities. 

At Rs 196.39 crore, the eight states of the North-East collectively received less than 1% of the total money spent by companies in India in FY 2020-21.

Again, out of this, Rs 150.78 crore (76.77%) was spent in Assam, leaving just Rs 46.61 crore for the other 7 states, further informed by the data provided by Rao Inderjit Singh Rao, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation and MoS, Ministry of Corporate Affairs. 

Among the NE States, CSR expenditure was lowest in Mizoram at a mere 0.49 crore, the lowest among the States in India, followed by Nagaland.  

The figure may be reflective of lack of industries or other geopolitical factors, but the amount of money spent by public and private sector companies in the region from FY 2015-16 to FY 2020-21 under CSR activities has had been negligible over the years except in Assam, highlighted the data. 

At Rs 2,528.95 Crore in 2020-21, Maharashtra continued to be the most preferred destination for CSR activities, followed by Gujarat at Rs 1,154.56 crore and Karnataka at Rs 912.31 crore. 

The data, based on the National CSR Data Portal, established as a platform by the MCA to “disseminate CSR-related data and information filed by the companies registered with it,” was up to December 31, 2021.

CSR spending in Nagaland 

As per the data provided by the MoS, in the last six fiscals, CSR spending in Nagaland was just Rs 13.5 crore, though it showed an increasing trend from 2016-17 to 2019-20. 

The amount increased from Rs 0.53 crore in 2016-17 to Rs 1.81 crore the next fiscal, and to Rs 2.12 crore in 2018-19.

It was highest in 2019-20 at Rs 5.10 crore, before falling to Rs 2.98 crore in 2020-21, though it did not reflect the full financial year. 

“The data for FY 2020-21 is subject to change as the levy of additional fees for the late filing had been relaxed till 15.03.2022. Further, filings for FY 2021-22 are required to be made only after the end of the current financial year,” the MoS stated in the reply.  

Meanwhile, data available on the CSR portal gives more details on the specific spending by corporates in Nagaland. 

In 2020-21, the top spender was HCL Technologies Limited at Rs 242 lakh, followed by LIC Housing Finance Ltd at Rs 25 lakh and Bharat Electronics at Rs 15 lakh.  

Others included NABARD Consultancy Private Ltd (Rs 10 lakh), Analog Device India Private Ltd (Rs 4 lakh), and Adani Krishnapatnam Port Ltd (Rs 2 lakh). 

Sector-wise, the highest amount was for Environment, Animal Welfare, Conservation of Resources at Rs 152 lakh, followed by ‘Health, Eradicating Hunger, Poverty and Malnutrition, Safe Drinking water, Sanitation’ at Rs 142.49 lakh and Rs 4 lakh for Rural Development    

While Kohima district received Rs 40.49 lakh and Tuensang got Rs 14 lakh, the rest of the amount—Rs 244 lakh was designated as NEC (Not Elsewhere Covered (NEC)/Companies did not specify the names of States where projects were undertaken).