A Study on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Activities in Indian Power Sector:

Abstract

India ranks third globally in electricity production and consumption, with a total installed capacity of 443 GW. Power sector projects are expected to contribute significantly to India's capital expenditure in the next five years. The Indian Power Sector is experiencing increasing FDI inflows, making it a crucial part of infrastructure for economic growth and nation welfare. The industry aims to provide universal access to affordable and quality power in a sustainable manner. The fundamental principle of India’s power industry has been to provide universal access to affordable and quality power in a sustainable way. India’s power sector is one of the most diversified in the world considering its generation mix and the consumption   pattern   including   the   present   regulatory   framework. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a company's initiative to assess and take responsibility for its impact on environmental and social well-being. Section 135 of the Companies Act 2013 mandates certain classes of companies, including those meeting profit, net worth, and turnover criteria, to spend at least 2% of their average net profits on CSR activities. Now for the massive infrastructure development, the Indian Power Sector Companies (Whether Gencos/Transcos/Discoms) can use CSR as a strategic tool to improve the  society  on  which  they  operate  as  a  whole  and  their  brand  image. In this article an effort has been made to present the trend of CSR w.r.t Expenditure, Areas, Governance, Planning, Implementation and Reporting of the major Power Sector Companies in India. This is purely a review article but with an indicative model of CSR activities in the Indian Power Sector.