'CSR funds not for BJD's election expenditure'

Bhubaneswar, March 29: After the ruling BJD expressed its dissatisfaction over central PSUs backing out from the Aahar scheme, the Odisha unit of BJP on Sunday hit out at the former, stating that the PSUs’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds were not meant for election expenditure. The much-hyped Aahar scheme, under which the state government plans to provide lunch at Rs.5 per person in five urban centres from April 1, has hit hurdles after three central public sector companies MCL, LCO and Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) backed out of a commitment to provide funds. Senior Bharatiya Jata Party leader Bijay Mohapatra said the Odisha government has launched the subsidised rice scheme keeping an eye on civic elections in the state and it tried to rope in the PSUs to provide funds from their CSR activities. “Your (BJD) election expenditure cannot be met out of CSR fund. CSR is not for charity. It is for sustaible development and creating assets,” Mohapatra told media persons. The BJP leader, however, said the party is not opposing the scheme. (IANS)

Top Headlines

No stories found.
Sentinel Assam
www.sentinelassam.com