5 days ago
Nodal officers to monitor CSR-funded public schools; ‘diversion' of corporate funds flagged
The State government has appointed nodal officers to coordinate and expedite the construction of CSR-funded Karnataka Public Schools (KPSs), following a review of the progress of the schools and their funding.
Commissioner for Industrial Development Gunjan Krishna has been appointed as the coordinating officer, and Karnataka State Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation managing director Khushboo G. Chowdhary has been appointed as the CEO. The two officers will work with various corporates to mobilise CSR funds for the KPSs.
Slow progress
The decision to appoint nodal officers was taken in view of the slow progress in setting up 2,000 KPSs in the State.
Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar expressed unhappiness over slow progress in the construction of KPSs in the State and diversion of funds to NGOs in other States. He pulled up the Deputy Commissioners and zilla panchayat CEOs during a meeting to review the progress of KPSs.
'CSR funds to the tune of ₹8,000 crore are available in the State. We had given clear instructions two years ago that CSR funds of corporates must be used to build KPSs. It has come to our notice that some corporates from the State are allocating CSR funds to some NGOs in other States and taking back 50% of that amount in cash. This is resulting in a loss for the State. It is our responsibility to use it for building the schools here,' he said.
'Branding' schools
'The corporates need not give the government any funds, they can build a school and hand it over to the government. The government can even provide land and building designs. The corporates can even brand the schools in their name,' he said.
'We are building 13 CSR KPSs in my constituency, and each of these schools costs anywhere between ₹9 crore and ₹12 crore. The work on the schools is progressing well only in some regions, while there is negligence in other regions,' he said.
Mr. Shivakumar urged the district administration to write letters to corporates in their districts and hold a meeting to discuss the construction of schools using their CSR funds. 'Set a target to build one model public school in every taluk and based on that feedback, set a target to build one school for three gram panchayats,' he told the Deputy Commissioners and zilla panchayat CEOs.
'I have instructed the Bengaluru Deputy Commissioner and zilla panchayat CEO to call a meeting of all corporates in their jurisdiction and discuss the allocation of CSR funds. Similarly, district administrations must hold meetings with corporates,' he said, adding that he would take regular progress reports from now on.
