Corporate social responsibility (CSR) should be voluntary and not mandatory as forcible action will not deliver desired results, business tycoon and Bharti Group head Sunil Mittal said on Thursday.

His comments came amid reports that the government plans to make social obligation on companies mandatory.

But Mittal was keen that the CSR become a part of corporate culture instead of being imposed upon them.

"I can say on behalf of the business and chamber houses that voluntarily compliance is always better than any forced degree...

"... because firms which will be doing CSR voluntarily will be doing it with heart and mind and will do it very well," Mittal said on the sidelines of a function organised by TERI in New Delhi.

However, he was of the view that the "companies those who do not want to do it (CSR) right even it is by force will find ways and means to show CSR expanses" in their reports.

According to him it was best upon the business houses and chambers like FICCI to play a leading role in encouraging the companies to take up the CSR initiatives.

"It got to be done pro-actively by business community and business houses like FICCI . They must do their job in awakening corporates towards need for running business with humanity," he pointed out but adding that the "government is best to make judgement in this direction".

The businessman who is known for revolutionising the telecom sector also stressed that business and technologies must recognise the plight of the farming community and their problems.

"Any business or any community need to ensure that in their discussions farming community are the core of the solution," he pointed out.

Mittal also spoke about the need for philanthropy by business houses in India. "The government can't do it alone. Healthcare in the country is in shambles and there is a lot of work to be one there," he added.

He also said that businesses in India need to go beyond things that they nrmally do. Business houses and governments need to combine forces, Mittal added. "We should bring more best practices from the private sector," the telecom tycoon said.