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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Birla trust tops in political donations

Birla trust tops in political donations

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published Published on Sep 11, 2012   modified Modified on Sep 11, 2012
-The Times of India

Unwilling to risk their futures to political vagaries, corporate houses tend to hedge their bets and contribute to political parties across the spectrum.

Data analyzed by the Association for Democratic Reforms and the National Election Watch has found that the trust which made the maximum contributions to political parties is the General Electoral Trust of the Aditya Birla Group, with Rs 36.46 crore to the Congress between 2003-04 and 2010-11 and Rs 26 crore to the BJP during the period.

Going by the list of donors, the Tata Group, A B Birla Group, Vedanta, Ambuja Cements, Jindals and the Essar Group have made significant contributions to leading national parties and regional satraps rule some of the mineral-rich states like Odisha. Incidentally, many of these groups had been allocated coal blocks and recently featured in the CAG report that pointed to lack of transparency in allocation of many of these mines, leading to gains to private firms to the tune of Rs 1.86 lakh crore.

After the General Electoral Trust, Bharti Electoral Trust has made the highest contribution of Rs 11 crore to the Congress during 2008-09 and Rs 6 crore to the BJP during the same period. This is followed by the Vedanta Group's Public and Political Awareness Trust, which made an overall contribution of Rs 9.5 crore to the BJP during 2003-05. The Tata-led Electoral Trust has made contributions of Rs 9.96 crore to the Congress, Rs 6.82 crore to the BJP, Rs 30 lakh to the JD(U) and Rs 1.58 crore to the SP during the period reviewed. Harmony Electoral Trust contributed Rs 2 crore to the Congress and Rs 1.50 crore to the BJP, while Satya Electoral Trust donated Rs 2 crore to the Congress and Rs 1 crore to the NCP.

The other companies that made the maximum contributions are Torrent Power Ltd , which donated Rs 14.15 crore to the Congress and Rs 13 crore to the BJP, while Asianet Holding donated Rs 10 crore to the BJP and Rs 2.5 crore to the Congress. Sterlite Industries, a subsidiary of the Vedanta Group, donated Rs 6 crore to the Congress, while Madras Aluminum Co Ltd, also a subsidiary of Vedanta Group, contributed Rs 3.5 crore to the BJP.

Southern Engineering Works (SEW) Constructions, SEW Infrastructure and Videocon Industries were other major donors who helped the Congress, BJP, CPI and the NCP. ITC was also a major donor, giving the SP Rs 78 lakh, AIADMK Rs 55 lakh and the RJD Rs 33 lakh.

The top five political parties with the highest total income between 2004-05 and 2010-11 were the Congress (Rs 2,008 crore), BJP (Rs 994 crore), BSP (Rs 484 crore) and the CPM (Rs 417 crore).

Donations and voluntary contributions are one of the major sources of income for most political parties. However, donations above Rs 20,000, which have to be compulsorily declared, form a very small percentage of total income of political parties. Of the national parties, the BJP's donations from named donors amounted to 22.76% of the total income for 2009-10 and 2010-2011, while the corresponding figure for the Congress was 11.89%, followed by the NCP (4.64%) and the CPM (1.29%). The BSP said it had not received any donations above Rs 20,000 even though its total income for the two years stood at Rs 172.67 crore. About 18 regional and state parties never filed their contribution reports to the Election Commission from 2004 onwards.

Congress got Rs 2,008cr in donations

After the General Electoral Trust, Bharti Electoral Trust has made the highest contribution of Rs 11 crore to the Congress during 2008-09 and Rs 6 crore to the BJP during the same period. This is followed by the Vedanta Group's Public and Political Awareness Trust, which made an overall contribution of Rs 9.5 crore to the BJP during 2003-05.

The Tata-led Electoral Trust has made contributions of Rs 9.96 crore to the Congress, Rs 6.82 crore to the BJP, Rs 30 lakh to the JD(U) and Rs 1.58 crore to the SP during the period reviewed. Harmony Electoral Trust contributed Rs 2 crore to the Congress and Rs 1.50 crore to the BJP, while Satya Electoral Trust donated Rs 2 crore to the Congress and Rs 1 crore to the NCP.

The other companies that made the maximum contributions are Torrent Power Ltd , which donated Rs 14.15 crore to the Congress and Rs 13 crore to the BJP, while Asianet Holding donated Rs 10 crore to the BJP and Rs 2.5 crore to the Congress. Sterlite Industries, a subsidiary of the Vedanta Group, donated Rs 6 crore to the Congress, while Madras Aluminum Co Ltd, also a subsidiary of Vedanta Group, contributed Rs 3.5 crore to the BJP.

Southern Engineering Works (SEW) Constructions, SEW Infrastructure and Videocon Industries were other major donors who helped the Congress, BJP, CPI and the NCP. ITC was also a major donor, giving the SP Rs 78 lakh, AIADMK Rs 55 lakh and the RJD Rs 33 lakh.

The top five political parties with the highest total income between 2004-05 and 2010-11 were the Congress (Rs 2,008 crore), BJP (Rs 994 crore), BSP (Rs 484 crore) and the CPM (Rs 417 crore).

Donations and voluntary contributions are one of the major sources of income for most political parties. 

The Times of India, 11 September, 2012, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Birla-trust-tops-in-political-donations/articleshow/16344044.cms


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