Parliament Question: Companies in Bhagalpur

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.3576 ANSWERED ON MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2026 COMPANIES IN BHAGALPUR

3576. SHRI AJAY KUMAR MANDAL :

Will the Minister of CORPORATE AFFAIRS be pleased to state :

(a) the total number of new private and public companies/start-ups registered in Bhagalpur in Bihar during the last three years;

(b) the total funds allocated and spent from the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds by the public and private sector companies (such as NTPC Kahalgaon, etc.) operating in Bhagalpur during this period;

(c) whether CSR funds have been utilised in Bhagalpur for facilitating healthcare, drinking water supply, skill development and welfare of 'Bhagalpuri Silk' weavers;

(d) if so, the details thereof:

(e) the steps taken by the Government to promote corporate compliance and ease of doing business in Bhagalpur; and

(f) whether the Government proposes to provide a 'Director Identification Number' or open company registration facilitation centre to assist entrepreneurs and local start-ups in Bhagalpur and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS; MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS.

(SHRI HARSH MALHOTRA)

(a) Total of 534 companies have been registered in Bhagalpur during the last three financial years. The details are as under:

S. N. Year Number of Companies

1. 2023-24 164

2. 2024-25 138

3. 2025-26 232 Grand Total 534 The Ministry’s MCA-21 database do not capture the data of start-up companies.

(b) to (d) There is no provision of allocation of CSR funds in CSR legal framework. All data related to CSR filed by CSR mandated companies in MCA21 registry including state-wise, district-wise, year-wise, company-wise isavailable in public domain and can be accessed at www.csr.gov.in. On the basis of annual filings made by companies in the MCA21 registry, development sector wise CSR expenditure in Bhagalpur for last three financial years from FY 2022- 23 to FY 2024-25 is as per Annexure. The Ministry does not maintain beneficiary wise CSR data centrally.

(e) The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has undertaken several initiatives to promote corporate compliance and ease of doing business across the country, which are applicable to companies in Bhagalpur also. Some of the

important initiatives are as under:- i. Amendments have been made in the Companies Act, 2013 (CA-13) in 2015 & 2017 to facilitate ease of doing business and address concerns expressed by industry chambers & other stakeholders.

ii. Amendments have been made in CA-13 in 2019 and 2020 to de-criminalize technical & procedural violations and thus reduce the burden on criminal courts & National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). They were also aimed at streamlining compliance requirements for Small Companies, One Person Companies, Start-ups and Producer companies.

iii. Amendments have been made in the Limited Liability Partnership

(Amendment) Act, 2021 to decriminalise technical & procedural violations. A new category of "Small LLP" was established for providing reduced compliance burden and lower fees to encourage formalization of small businesses.

iv. There is no fee for incorporation of company with authorized capital up to Rs.15.00 Lakh. v. Direct listing of securities by Indian public companies in permissible foreign jurisdictions has been allowed. This is a boost for "Brand India" and increases attractiveness to growing technology sector, stimulates efficiency & growth, provides alternative source of capital and broadens investor base.

vi. The scope of fast-track merger was expanded in February 2021 to allow mergers of Start-ups with other Start-ups and with Small companies. The ambit has been further broadened in September 2025 to allow more classes of companies to choose this route. The rules have also been amended so that the "deemed approval" requirement is implemented more effectively for fast-track mergers.

vii. The Central Registration Centre (CRC) was operationalized in 2016 to provide speedy incorporation related services. An e-Form SPICe+ along with a linked form called AGILE PRO-S was introduced for providing different services at one place such as Name Reservation, Incorporation, Allotment of PAN, TAN, DIN, EPFO Registration, ESIC Registration, GST number, opening of Bank Account etc. at the time of incorporation of company to start the business immediately. Similarly, new e-Form FiLLiP (Form for incorporation of Limited Liability Partnership) was introduced for LLPs.

viii. The LLP Incorporation Form called FiLLiP has also been integrated with Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to provide PAN/TAN at the time of Incorporation of LLP itself. ix. The Centre for Processing Accelerated Corporate Exit (C-PACE) was established in May 2023 enabling the stakeholders by providing a hassle-free filing, timely and process-bound striking off their companies' and LLPs' names from the Register.

x. The Central Processing Centre (CPC) was established in February 2024 for centralized processing of 12 non-STP forms.xi. The Companies (Adjudication of Penalties) Rules, 2014 have been amended in August 2024 pursuant to which it has been provided that the adjudication proceedings under section 454 of the Companies Act, 2013 shall take place in electronic mode only through the e-adjudication platform developed by the Ministry for this purpose. The platform provides for end-to-end digital process including online generation of notices, hearings, generation of adjudication orders and payments. This enhances transparency and enables speedier adjudication.

xii. Definition of small companies has been amended by increasing the threshold limit of a small company, having a paid-up capital not exceeding Rs.10 Crores and turnover not exceeding Rs. 100 Crores. Similarly, concept of small LLP has been introduced which is subject to lesser compliances, lesser fee to reduce the cost of compliances.

xiii. The annual KYC requirement for directors in companies under rule 12A of the Companies (Appointment & Qualification of Directors) Rules, 2014 has been amended w.e.f. 31st March, 2026. Annual KYC requirement has been replaced with a simpler KYC intimation once in every three years.

(xiv) Allowing convening of Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Extra-ordinary General Meeting (EGM) of a company through Video Conference (VC) to increase shareholder participation and reduce costs associated with conduct of general meetings for companies;

(f) No such proposal is under consideration. *****Annexure Referred to reply to part (b) to (d) of Lok Sabha Un-Starred Q. No. 3576 for 10.08.2026 Development sector-wise CSR expenditure by all companies in Bhagalpur (Bihar) for FY 2022-23 to 2024-25 (Amount in Rs. Crores) S. No. Development sector FY 2022-23 FY 2023-24 FY 2024-25

1. Art and Culture 0.12 0.31 0.42

2. Education 1.47 1.35 1.58

3. Environmental 0.79 0.33 0.57 Sustainability

4. Health Care - 9.43 1.53

5. Livelihood - - 3.89 Enhancement Projects

6. Poverty, Eradicating 0.08 - 0.40 Hunger, Malnutrition

7. Rural Development 2.29 0.91 0.77 Projects

8. Safe Drinking Water - - 0.43

9. Sanitation 4.11 - 1.34

10. Setting Up Homes and - - 0.15 Hostels For Women

11. Socio-economic 0.04 - - equalities

12. Training To Promote 0.04 0.19 0.15 Sports

13. Vocational Skills 0.10 0.35 -

14. Women Empowerment 0.01 - 0.00 Total 9.05 12.87 11.23 *********