Indians Donated Over Rs 16,000 Crores For Religious Reasons Between 2020-21, Reveals Study

A study conducted by the Centre for Social Impact and Philanthropy (CSIP) at Ashoka University and the World Panel Division of Kantar has come out with findings that shed light on the pattern of donations and giving nature of Indians. Titled "How India Gives, 2020-21", the study revealed that the majority of the donations were directed toward religious reasons. Donations offered as support to those in financial distress, such as the beggars and homeless, came only second to this.

The sample size for the study was 81,000 households across 18 states of the country. South India was found to have the highest average of donations in terms of the amount, followed by West India. However, the incidence of giving was found to be the highest in eastern and northern India.

Where Do Donations Go Into?

A high amount of donations are primarily motivated by the religious beliefs of Indians, followed by their desire to support individuals in financial distress. About 64 per cent of household giving went to religious institutions and 61 per cent towards beggars. The lowest incidence of giving, with barely 4 per cent, was found to be toward the household staff.

In terms of the amount of cash that went into donations, a total of ₹23,700 crores was given by Indians between October 2020 and September 2021. Out of this amount, ₹16,600 crores went into religious donations, and it constituted about 70 per cent share of the market. Help offered to those in need of financial aid amounted to ₹2,900 crores, while the help given to household staff was less than ₹1,000 crores.

As reported by the Telegraph India, high-value donations falling above ₹10,000 were made to family and friends, and low-value donations of about ₹100 or lesser were offered to beggars. The donations made to religious institutions constituted slightly larger denominations across ₹101 to ₹500.

Donation Patterns Across States And People

The survey pointed towards the giving pattern of men and women and said that men were likely to prefer donating to religious organisations and family and friends. Meanwhile, women were found to extend help through more donations going towards beggars and household staff, as per a report by the Business Standard.

In terms of regional difference, the highest number of donations was made by East Indians, followed by North Indians. The highest amount of cash donations were given across by tha South Indians and West Indians. Furthermore, out of the total households surveyed, the incidence of giving was found to be higher among rural spaces than in urban cities.

Donations given across to non-religious organisations constituted mainly non-governmental organisations (NGOs), trusts, foundations and schools. This was followed by the PM CARES and CM Cares fund. The main source of information regarding donations that could be made in these establishments was conveyed through word of mouth from family and friends.

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