ABC Limited is one of the largest engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company. It is a New Delhi headquartered company with over ten thousand employees and has site offices in all major cities in North India.

CS Professional · CSR and Social Governance · PYQS · June 2024
ABC Limited is one of the largest engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company. It is a New Delhi headquartered company with over ten thousand employees and has site offices in all major cities in North India. Company has a highly motivated management team and professionally qualified board. Philosophy and vision of the company is : To promote and expand new functional areas in infrastructure sector; To adopt sustainable manufacturing practices in all its operations; To engage with all stakeholders including society at large; and To operate in an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable manner, while recognizing the interest all of its stakeholders. ABC Limited imbibes on the philosophy of 'Sarva loka hitam'-meaning working for the well-being of all its stakeholders. The company also follows the principle of Utilitarianism: i.e., 'greatest good for the greatest number of people'. Through its operations, it is also striving for adoption of the green sustainability principles, so as to protect the environment. According to Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013, it is mandatory for prescribed class of companies to contribute at least two percent of the average net profits of the company during the three immediately preceding financial years. To pursue its Corporate Social Responsibility Policy, Corporate Social Responsibility Committee has been constituted by the Board of Directors of the Company. The Company has decided to carry out the following CSR activities, namely: Construction of old age homes for senior citizens; Setting up homes and hostels for women employees; Running Guashala in its factory premises/project sites; Running full day kitchens (Bhandara) for food to poor people residing near the factory premises; Organizing free sugar and eye check-up camps; Contribution to the Swach Bharat Kosh setup by the Central Government for the promotion of sanitation and making available safe drinking water; Sponsoring the investor education programmes for the employees of its clients; Sponsoring the training programmes to promote rural sports; Contribution to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund; Contributing for construction of roads particularly in rural area; Construction of toilets in schools; and Construction of Yoga centres for local community. Company is incurring more than ₹10 crore since last few years on such social welfare and philanthropic programmes. However, company's statutory auditors have raised issues of non-compliance pertaining to CSR policy, CSR Committee composition and CSR expenditure. You, as a practicing Company Secretary, have been invited as an Advisor and have been asked to answer the following questions : Advise how to deal with Excess Spending so as to comply with the provisions of Companies Act, 2013?

Answer & Explanation:

Section 135(5) of the Companies Act says that if the company spends an amount in excess of the requirements provided under this sub-section, such company may set off such excess amount spent against the requirement to spend for such number of succeeding financial years and in such manner, as may be prescribed. Rule 7(3) of CSR Rules prescribes that the set-off can be claimed up to immediately succeeding three financial years subject to the condition that: the excess amount available for set off shall not include the surplus arising out of the CSR activities, if any, in pursuance of rule 7(2) of CSR Rules, the Board of the company shall pass a resolution to that effect. Surplus arising out of CSR Projects As per Rule 7(2) of Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Rules, any surplus arising out of the CSR activities shall not form part of the business profit of a company and: It shall be ploughed back into the same project; OR It shall be transferred to the Unspent CSR Account, and shall be spent in pursuance of CSR Policy and annual action plan of the company; OR It shall be transferred to a fund specified in Schedule VII to the Act, within a period of six months of the expiry of the financial year. Further as per Rule 7(3)(i) of Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Rules, such surplus amount ploughed back into the same project shall not be included in calculation of excess amount by the company, if any, for claiming set off in succeeding three financial years.

Topics: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

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