India Inc seeks tax breaks on CSR spend

05 Dec 2012 Evaluate

With an aim to incentivize Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the corporate India is seeking tax breaks on their spending towards CSR, since the government aiming to make CSR spend obligatory through the Companies Bill. Further, the Companies Bill, which is now pending in the Lok Sabha, is likely to be taken up in the ongoing winter session of Parliament.
 
The companies that have recorded an average net profit of Rs 5 crore in the past three years or clocked a turnover of Rs 1,000 crore or have a net worth of Rs 500 crore are proposed to be covered under the mandatory CSR norm. However, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Bill, headed by BJP leader Yashwant Singh, had recommended that the 2% spend on CSR should be ensured, rather than making it a voluntary exercise.

Apart from recommending a 2% annual spend on CSR activities, the Bill proposes higher corporate disclosures to prevent corporate frauds. Also it seeks to empower shareholders by proposing the concept of class-action suits.

Besides, the companies that do not spend and report will face penalty of Rs 25 lakh or imprisonment up to three years under the Section 134 (O) of the proposed Bill. The demand for tax break on CSR spend was raised earlier too but it is for the first time that it has been supported explicitly by the government. If approved, it will be a major incentive for the companies.

© 2026 The Alchemists Ark Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. MoneyWorks4Me ® is a registered trademark of The Alchemists Ark Pvt. Ltd.

×