# Charity skips poor in India's CSR spending

> India's CSR funds concentrate in wealthy states, leaving Bihar with minimal aid despite urgent needs.
- Title: Charity skips poor in India's CSR spending · Financialexpress
- Summary: India's CSR funds concentrate in wealthy states, leaving Bihar with minimal aid despite urgent needs. India's CSR spending reaches Rs 40,794 crore but…
- Keywords: india, csr, niti aayog, bihar, maharashtra, corporate social responsibility, funds, poverty, business, money, news, Charity
- Source: Financialexpress — https://financialexpress.com/opinion/the-charity-that-skips-the-poor/4352705
- Author: FE Bureau
- Published: 2026-10-02T17:14:48+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: india, csr, niti aayog, bihar, maharashtra, corporate social responsibility, funds, poverty, business, money, news
## India's CSR spending grows
India’s corporate social responsibility spending has reached a record Rs 40,794 crore according to government data.
## Spending skewed toward wealthy states
CSR funds concentrate in states with strong corporate presence like Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat.
## Bihar receives minimal CSR funds
Bihar received Rs 260.53 crore in 2023-24 versus Rs 6,065.95 crore for Maharashtra, a gap of nearly 24 times.
## Bihar's poverty situation
Despite progress, 33.76% of Bihar’s population remains multidimensionally poor versus 14% nationally.
## CSR projects cluster in urban areas
Projects tend to cluster around established urban centers where companies already have offices and staff.
## Policy design failure
Section 135 created private development capital but no mechanism to steer funds toward where need is greatest.
## Better disclosure needed
Companies should disclose CSR spending at district level with details of beneficiaries and outcomes.
## Bihar as test case
Bihar can serve as a benchmark to test whether India’s CSR architecture closes development gaps or widens them.
## Key takeaway

India's CSR spending reaches Rs 40,794 crore but disproportionately benefits richer states like Maharashtra over Bihar, where per capita spending is 24 times lower.