Industry leaders in India have been accused of showing little social
responsibility while seeking relief and tax concessions for themselves.
Finance minister Palaniappan Chidambaram told the Associated Chambers
of Commerce and Industry of India during a post-budget meeting: ‘When
we are promising one million jobs to the physically challenged … it’s
a challenge not only for the government but also for you. I did not
hear any one of you speak about how you will provide jobs to physically
challenged persons.’
However, he promised corporates that the government would reimburse the
employers’ contribution to the Employees’ Provident Fund and the
Employees’ State Insurance fund for the first three years if they
provided jobs to the physically disabled.
