Maharashtra urges companies to spend CSR money on schools

Mumbai: Maharashtra is trying to persuade companies to put money in the school system as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) spending, reinforcing the administration’s efforts to boost educational facilities in a state where 70% of schools are government-run.

The Maharashtra government proposed to spend around Rs.33,952 crore, or 2.21% of the state’s gross domestic product, on school education in fiscal 2014, but as much as 80% of this money will be spent on paying the salaries and pensions of teaching and non-teaching staff.