Budget 2022: CII For Additional 1% CSR Levy To Provide Covid Booster Shots

CII also called upon state governments to lift the pandemic-induced restrictions on economic activity

Industry body Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) has suggested that over and above the mandatory 2 per cent corporate social responsibility (CSR) levy, an additional 1 per cent should also be charged in the forthcoming union budget in order to encourage companies to spend on providing Covid vaccine booster shots.

"Government should encourage industry to deploy CSR funding towards providing precautionary shots to the community. Further, industry is ready to contribute an additional 1 per cent under the CSR norms to the national vaccination mission, apart from the mandated 2 per cent, and this can be part of the budget for a period of 12 months only," CII president T V Narendran said.

It also called upon state governments to lift the pandemic-induced restrictions on economic activity, arguing that the occupancy rate of hospital beds due to the Omicron variant of Covid is well within the manageable level.

The chamber said it expects the budget to focus on measures for strengthening economic recovery.