Healthcare attracted the highest CSR spending of ₹8,015.98 crore, marginally ahead of education, which received ₹8,002.62 crore during the period. Together, these two sectors accounted for about two-thirds of total CSR spending in Maharashtra.
| Photo Credit:
istock.com
Corporate India spent nearly ₹24,000 crore on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects in Maharashtra between FY2019-20 and FY2023-24, with healthcare and education emerging as the two largest areas of investment, according to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs data presented in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
Total CSR expenditure in the State during the five-year period stood at ₹23,996.94 crore, reflecting the growing role of private companies in supporting social development programmes.
Healthcare attracted the highest CSR spending of ₹8,015.98 crore, marginally ahead of education, which received ₹8,002.62 crore during the period. Together, these two sectors accounted for about two-thirds of total CSR spending in Maharashtra.
Rise in Spending
CSR spending has also been rising in recent years. In FY2023-24 alone, companies spent ₹6,065.95 crore across various development sectors in the State.
After health and education, poverty eradication and hunger relief projects received ₹1,518.7 crore, while environmental sustainability initiatives attracted ₹1,299.57 crore in CSR funding over the five-year period.
Other major areas of CSR investment included livelihood enhancement projects (₹1,090.21 crore) and rural development initiatives (₹1,015.63 crore), reflecting a growing corporate focus on improving economic opportunities in rural and underserved regions.
Companies also allocated funds for vocational skills development (₹631.89 crore), aimed at improving employability, while women empowerment programmes received ₹275.96 crore during the period.
Neglected Areas
Smaller allocations were made towards sectors such as sports promotion, natural resource conservation, sanitation, safe drinking water, gender equality and welfare programmes for senior citizens.
The data suggests that while corporates continue to prioritise healthcare and education, CSR funding is increasingly being diversified to address environmental sustainability, rural development and livelihood creation.
With Maharashtra being one of India’s largest industrial States, the scale of CSR spending highlights the growing importance of corporate funding in complementing government-led social development programmes.
Published on March 10, 2026