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CSR funds should meet actual requirements of schools & students: Dadaji Bhuse
Bhuse was speaking at an interactive meeting with CSR heads of various industries held at the office of the Maharashtra Primary Education Council on Wednesday.
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PUNE: Maharashtra school education minister Dadaji Bhuse has urged present-day industries to ensure that their corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds are used systematically and in keeping with the real needs of schools and students. Bhuse was speaking at an interactive meeting with CSR heads of various industries held at the office of the Maharashtra Primary Education Council on Wednesday.
“Many industries support schools and students through CSR funds as part of their commitment to society. This assistance should now be brought under a structured system so that it meets the actual requirements of schools and students,” Bhuse said.
The meeting aimed at bringing coordination and transparency in the utilisation of CSR contributions for the development of schools across the state. Bhuse said, “Maharashtra is home to over one lakh schools with more than two crore students, and the government is committed to providing them with quality, joyful and value-based education inspired by the principle of ‘Nation First’”.
Bhuse noted that the state government has launched multiple initiatives to enhance the students’ learning environment, including improvements in infrastructure, access to clean drinking water, proper sanitation, functional laboratories, and better classrooms. He urged industries to study the ‘Vidyanjali portal’ which has detailed information on the needs of schools, and to contribute accordingly to bridge the gaps.
The meeting was attended by Ranjitsingh Deol, principal secretary of the school education department; Sanjay Yadav, Tushar Mahajan, deputy secretary of the school education department; and CSR heads from various industries.
Deol emphasised that CSR funds are already being received through industry collaborations, and data from both the U-DISE system and the central government’s Vidyanjali portal provide comprehensive information on the requirements of every school. “The idea is to ensure that CSR funds are used efficiently, in the right place, and for the right purpose,” Deol said. Deol also mentioned that under the ‘Adopt-a-School’ scheme recently announced by the state government, industries that adopt schools will have their names associated with those institutions; a move aimed at building stronger, long-term partnerships between industry and education.
During the meeting, officials from the school education department led a presentation on the current status of the state’s school education system, ongoing CSR-based projects, and areas that still need industry participation. CSR representatives also shared details about the sectors they wish to support and offered suggestions for effective collaboration. The session provided a common platform for dialogue between the government and industry, making way for better planning and use of CSR resources. The CSR representatives appreciated the government’s efforts.
