Cumbharjua MLA Rajesh Faldessai on Thursday sought the intervention of Industries Minister Mauvin Godinho over what he said was the failure of most companies at the Corlim industrial estate to spend Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds in the surrounding villages.
Faldessai said that out of the nearly 100 companies operating in the industrial estate, only Deccan Fine Chemicals was actively spending CSR funds locally for community programmes and support to people in the area.
He claimed that several other companies were instead directing their CSR expenditure to places where their head offices are located rather than the communities affected by their operations.
“At the Corlim industrial estate there is a company called Deccan Fine Chemicals. It is the only company out of the 100-odd companies who operate at the industrial estate who are spending CSR funds locally,” Faldessai said.
“Others are there but they are spending the money where their head office is located. CSR funds have to be given to those who are affected. First of all they do not give jobs to locals, but they are doing nothing here, not even on parks and gardens, or for poor children or for others in need,” he added.
Faldessai also raised the issue of bus connectivity in villages of his constituency. While thanking the minister for responding to his request for a bus service to Akhada in St Estevam for students, he asked that a similar early morning bus be provided for Carambolim and Cumbharjua.
He said farmers from these villages depend on timely transport to take their vegetables to the market.
“Whenever I request for buses where they are needed, they have made it available especially during hours when there’s demand. Similarly I’ve been demanding that there be a bus for the people of Carambolim and Cumbharjua, especially the farmers who have been growing vegetables. If they do not get the bus at that time to take it to the market, then the bhaji goes stale. The minister has to pay attention to this,” he said.
The MLA also called for improved infrastructure for village panchayats in his constituency, stating that some of the existing buildings were in poor condition.
He pointed particularly to panchayat buildings in Divar which he said require proper facilities.
“The panchayats in the village do not have a hall and the building itself is in bad condition. At least the panchayat building should be built well along with a hall so that they get some money as well,” he said.
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