Spending on awareness and public outreach of covid-19 vaccination for public at large eligible for CSR

As we know our country has started Covid-19 vaccination program today wherein all frontline workers would first get the vaccination and then same will be passed on to other and this being a vaccine developed in India, government is also trying to promote the vaccines as much as possible.

Now, MCA has issued a general circular 01/2021 dt. 13.01.2021 stating that amount spent by companies to spread awareness and increase public outreach of Covid-19 vaccine would qualify as CSR spend for the company.

In the circular it has been mentioned that:

“spending of CSR funds for carrying out awareness campaigns/ programmes or public outreach campaigns on Covid-19 vaccination programme is an eligible CSR activity under item no. (i), (ii) and (xii) of Schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013 relating to promotion of health care, including preventive health care and sanitization, promoting education and disaster management respectively.”

This comes in addition to Circular no. 10 dt. 23.03.2020 wherein funds spent on awareness of Covid-19 was considered for CSR activities.

To read Circular 01/2021 CLICK HERE.

To read circular 10/2020 CLICK HERE.