For CSR spending to be leveraged and have impact, there must be a greater alignment between spending plans of individual businesses and national priorities in the sector. Using CSR funds for capital and operational expenditure will improve impact. CSR spends are marked by regional imbalance - concentrated in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, while northeast states account for less than 1%. Time to revisit how CSR funds are utilised to maximise impact.
