NEW DELHI: Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh has asked the Centre to return Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds deposited by Chhattisgarh’s mining projects and industrial units in Prime Minister CARES Fund saying the funds are meant for the welfare of people living around project areas.Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel has shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding that CSR funds deposited by mining companies and industrial units operating in Chhattisgarh should be spent specifically for people of his state. Baghel claimed in his letter that with the onset of Covid-19 mining companies and industries were asked to directly deposit their CSR funds in PM CARES Fund . “Due to this decision of the Centre, there is widespread discontent amongst the people affected by mining and industrial projects. Due to this, the people affected would be deprived of services which could have been provided by utilising CSR funds,” Baghel has written.The chief minister has said that if the amount deposited by mining companies working in Chhattisgarh is supposed to be spent on prevention of Covid-19, then the state government should be entrusted with the responsibility of utilising CSR funds in only Covid-affected districts. Baghel has pointed out that CSR funds were established in view of the difficulties faced by the people living near mining projects or industrial unit and to address their problems arising out of industrial pollution and displacement. Without mentioning the amount deposited by the companies in PM CARES Fund, Baghel has written, “I request you to kindly transfer this amount to the state. We would ensure that it is utilised only in districts affected by Covid-19.” Out of Chhattisgarh’s 28 districts, only five have reported Covid cases. One district has been classified as a red zone or hotspot district. According to National CSR Data portal, CSR funds spent in Chhattisgarh have ranged between Rs 71.60 crore in 2017-18 and Rs 241.17 crore in 2015-16 financial year.This is the second letter in as many days that Baghel has written to Prime Minister. On Tuesday, Baghel had demanded a special package worth Rs 30,000 crore and seven exemptions from the current lockdown conditions. These exemptions included opening of all retail shops in green zone districts, allowing construction activities in urban areas, opening registration of properties, opening AC and car showrooms, repair workshops, spare part shops and sweet shops.