Congress slams Modi govt for bias against Maha over not allowing CSR funds under CM relief, BJP refutes allegations

The state Congress has slammed the Centre for bias against Maharashtra in its time of need by not granting a go ahead to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to accept

The state Congress has slammed the Centre for bias against Maharashtra in its time of need by not granting a go ahead to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to accept funds under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) even though the same has been permitted for the recently formed Prime Minister Cares Fund. PM Cares Fund was formed recently to tackle coronavirus. Congress spokesperson and general secretary Sachin Sawant said that despite several Chief Ministers including Uddhav Thackeray raising this issue in the recent meeting with the Prime Minister, no clarification or assurance has so far been given to the states. BJP has refuted this as a false narrative and pointed out that the law amending Companies Act to allow for CSR only in PM relief fund was enacted in 2013 during former UPA II regime.

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``Considering the gravity of the Covid-19 problem in Maharashtra, non receipt of rightful funds from the Union government and also their insufficient aid for tackling coronavirus, Maharashtra needs CM relief fund like never before. While CM relief Fund has been in existence for several years the Union government has not considered it to be eligible for CSR funding,’’ said Sawant, who has also written a letter stating the same to revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat along with Chief Minister Thackeray and deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

Sawant added that while several industrialists and business houses wanted to donate to CM Relief fund, this clause would deter them from doing the same and channel the funds to the centre.

Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis however said, ``It was in 2013 that the law was enacted which stated that CSR funds can be given only to PM Relief Fund and not to CM Relief Fund at the state level. This is not a decision taken by the Modi government. At the same time the Centre allows CSR funding being given to the state disaster management fund. Why is this government not using this route ?’’

Sawant accepted that the Centre via its general circular dated April 10 had clarified that contribution by corporates to the State Disaster Response Fund can qualify as CSR expenditure but pointed out that there was ambiguity about accepting such funds from corporates in the Act.

Since the Act was enacted, he said corporate funds or individual contributions haven’t been accepted in this Fund because there are no provisions for the same.