Donations to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, which are used for helping people during the natural calamities like flood, earthquake etc., or for helping the poor for medical treatment, are falling for the last four years.
According to information received from officials, donations of about Rs68.64 crore were received in 2005-06, Rs54.47 crore in 2006-07, Rs50.31 lakh in 2007-08 and Rs1.29 crore in 2008-09. During this period, the assistance provided from the fund was about Rs5.54 crore, Rs5.99 crore, Rs9.70 crore and Rs51.71 crore respectively, mainly to individuals for medical treatment.
The fund had received the highest donation of Rs75.87 crore in 2000-01 while the highest help of Rs114.91 crore was released during 2001-02, the latter mainly because of the 2001 earthquake. The fund has a balance of about Rs5.30 crore at present, said the officials.
A source said on the condition of anonymity, "There can be many reasons for the fall in donations to the CM Relief Fund, but the main reason could be that many people now donate more to the CM's Girl Child Education Fund and for the state government's many celebrations like Vibrant Navratri Festival, Rannotsav etc."
The CM's Relief Fund is managed by a committee headed by the CM himself. The fund is used to help, besides those affected by natural calamities like drought and flood, people hit by riots and major accidents, and martyrs or poor patients for costly medical treatments. Donations for the fund can be made to district collectors, district development officers and many other authorised authorities.
According to a senior chartered accountant, "As per rules, every public trust should get its accounts audited every year, and submit it to the authorities concerned. But the CM's Relief Fund has failed to get its account audited for the last three years. The state charity commissioner has made it compulsory for public trusts of the state to submit their annual reports, and there are no exceptions."
