Maha gets Centre’s nod to receive foreign donations for CM Relief Fund

Officials in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said the move will enable the fund to tap into corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds from foreign companies operating in Maharashtra. “There are many multinational firms here with significant CSR allocations. These resources can now be used to help more people in need,” an official said

MUMBAI: In a first-of-its-kind move, the Union Home Ministry has granted permission to the Maharashtra government to accept foreign donations for the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF), marking a significant policy shift under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).

Maha gets Centre’s nod to receive foreign donations for CM Relief Fund

The CMRF, operated by the state government, provides financial assistance to individuals affected by natural disasters, accidents, communal violence, terror attacks, and also extends aid for medical treatment and educational support. Until now, the fund—like those in other states—could only receive domestic contributions from individuals and companies.

“This is the first time any state’s CM Relief Fund has been allowed to receive foreign contributions under the FCRA,” confirmed Rameshwar Naik, a BJP functionary who currently heads the fund. “The permission was granted by the Union Home Ministry on Friday,” he added.

The development comes in contrast to a previous decision by the Centre in 2018, when it declined the Kerala government’s request to accept foreign aid in the aftermath of devastating floods.

Officials in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said the move will enable the fund to tap into corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds from foreign companies operating in Maharashtra. “There are many multinational firms here with significant CSR allocations. These resources can now be used to help more people in need,” an official said.

The CMRF is registered as a trust under the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act and is administered by a dedicated cell in the CMO. While officials can sanction aid within a fixed limit, the chief minister has discretionary powers to approve financial assistance of up to ₹7–8 lakh per medical case.

Donations to government relief funds are closely regulated by the Union Home Ministry under the FCRA to prevent misuse and ensure transparency. As per law, any trust, NGO, or organisation seeking to receive foreign funds must first register under the Act. The original legislation, enacted in 1976, was overhauled in 2010 and amended again in 2020—most notably to grant exemptions to the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES).

Former CMRF official Mangesh Chivate revealed that efforts to secure this exemption had been ongoing for years. “Even during Eknath Shinde’s tenure, letters were written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah seeking this approval. This hasn’t happened overnight,” Chivate said.

According to official data from the CMO, the CMRF disbursed ₹4.95 crore to 525 beneficiaries in Mumbai during the first four months of 2025. During his term as CM, Shinde sanctioned ₹419 crore to over 51,000 beneficiaries, while the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led government had extended aid worth ₹2.5 crore.