The Union Minister of State for Law & Justice and Corporate Affairs Shri P.P. Chaudhary has sought the full participation by the companies in ‘Swachhta Hi Seva’ campaign of the Government of India. This campaign is starting from today and will continue till 2nd October, 2017.

The Minister Shri Chaudhary said since the inception of the CSR provision under the Companies Act,2013, the Companies have undertaken a wide range of outstanding initiatives for attaining equitable growth in the country.He said that it is now time that the Corporates/Companies start contributing immensely to Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) as part of their CSR efforts.

Shri Chaudhary further said that the Government has set-up the Swachh Bharat Kosh (SBK) to attract CSR funds from the Corporate Sector and contributions from individuals and philanthropists in response to the call given by the Prime Minister on 15th August, 2014.

In a letter to the heads of various companies in operation and as a step towards making their contribution to SBM, the Minister of State Shri P.P. Chaudhary asked them to:

i) Contribute around 7% of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) spending to Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) during ‘Swachhta Hi Seva’ campaign,

ii) To direct their employees to go outside their corporate premises and undertake cleanliness drive in identified localities, and

iii) Sponsor billboards for Gram Panchayats carryig the Swachhta message.

The Minister Shri P.P. Chaudhary said that with these efforts, he is hopeful that the unflinching support by the companies for the SBM will go a long way in creation of a clean Inidia as envisaged by the Father of the Nation.

In a similar letter written to the Presidents of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) and Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India, the Minister of State for Corporate Affairs, Shri P.P. Chaudhary has sought their cooperation and participation in ‘Swachhta Hi Seva’ campaign.

Corporate Social Responsibility allocation urged toward Swachh Bharat Mission during cleanliness campaign, companies mobilising employees and sponsoring awareness. Companies are urged to direct a portion of their Corporate Social Responsibility expenditure to the Swachh Bharat Mission during the 'Swachhta Hi Seva' campaign; the Minister requested that firms allocate CSR funds to the mission, mobilise employees for cleanliness drives in identified localities, and sponsor local billboards to promote the cleanliness message, with the Swachh Bharat Kosh identified as a mechanism to receive CSR and philanthropic contributions.