MCA vide notification no G.S.R. 540(E) dated May 23, 2016 has amended the Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Rules, 2014, vide the Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Amendment Rules, 2016.
In the Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Rules, 2014, in rule 4, for sub-rule (2), the following sub-rule shall be substituted, namely:—
“(2) The Board of a company may decide to undertake its CSR activities approved by the CSR Committee, through
(a) a company established under section 8 of the Act or a registered trust or a registered society, established by the company, either singly or along with any other company, or
(b) a company established under section 8 of the Act or a registered trust or a registered society, established by the Central Government or State Government or any entity established under an Act of Parliament or a State legislature :
Provided that- if, the Board of a company decides to undertake its CSR activities through a company established under section 8 of the Act or a registered trust or a registered society, other than those specified in this sub-rule, such company or trust or society shall have an established track record of three years in undertaking similar programs or projects; and the company has specified the projects or programs to be undertaken, the modalities of utilisation of funds of such projects and programs and the monitoring and reporting mechanism”.
The text of existing Rule is provided below:
“4. CSR Activities.-
(1) The CSR activities shall be undertaken by the company, as per its stated CSR Policy, as projects or programs or activities (either new or ongoing), excluding activities undertaken in pursuance of its normal course of business.
(2) The Board of a company may decide to undertake its CSR activities approved by the CSR Committee, through a registered trust or a registered society or a company established under section 8 of the Act by the company, either singly or alongwith its holding or subsidiary or associate company, or alongwith any other company or holding or subsidiary or associate company of such other company, or otherwise]:
Provided that—
(i) if such trust, society or company is not established by the company, either singly or alongwith its holding or subsidiary or associate company, or alongwith any other company or holding or subsidiary or associate company of such other company shall have an established track record of three years in undertaking similar programs or projects;
(ii) the company has specified the project or programs to be undertaken through these entities, the modalities of utilization of funds on such projects and programs and the monitoring and reporting mechanism.