The Goa CSR Authority was formed and set up by the Government of Goa with the noble ideal of filling in the gaps in the existing system of governance. In this journey, it wanted the corporate and public sector units and society to work together to achieve the desired objectives. The Goa CSR Authority was formed as a Society to undertake and facilitate CSR activities of Companies under Rule 4(2) (b) of Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Amendment Rules, 2021. The area of operations is restricted to the State of Goa.
The primary objective of CSR was not to mobilise resources for the government to bridge the resource gap and meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary aim is to promote responsible and sustainable business philosophy at a broad level, and 22 encourages companies to develop innovative ideas and robust management systems to address social and environmental concerns of the local area and other needy areas in the country. The law intends to mainstream the practice of business involvement in CSR and make it socially, economically and environmentally responsible. In the last few years, a strong movement has been witnessed towards sustainable projects, creating along – term impact for the beneficiaries.
Goa CSR Authority has been created to ensure that CSR projects are routed through it so that timely implementation and maintenance of projects is undertaken with the help of corporate and institutions within and outside Goa. CSR activities in Goa through the Goa CSR Authority are a grand success, contributing to the overall development of the State and covering various sectors like health, environment, women empowerment, energy, education, etc.
Goa CSR Authority has been hugely successful in its first two years of inception. It has been observed that small and far-flung states get a measly amount of corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds spent by companies, while large state economies benefit most from it. These States can follow the Goa CSR Authority model in various development sectors.
Corporates operating in the State have been requested to give 1 per cent of their proceeds to the Goa government under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to the Goa CSR Authority. The government is ready to give freedom/choice to the companies to lend CSR to the sectors of their choice, such as health, education, and others.
CSR initiatives are very important for Goa and the State’s overall development. The CSR funding can be utilised to undertake various development activities in education, health, skill development, etc. Goa CSR Authority is manned by persons with professional expertise, and proper and detailed studies shall be taken to identify projects that will positively impact society, community, and the environment.
