RTI application reveals misuse of CM's relief fund

GROSS MISUSE: Many people feel that the fund is public money and not for recreation purpose.

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Mumbai: A Right to Information application has revealed gross misuse of Maharashtra Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

Money meant for victims of calamities is spent on Sports associations, the Press club and Lavni performers.

In 1997, Manohar Joshi sanctioned over Rs five-lakh to the Press Club of India. In the year 2003, Sushil Kumar Shinde gave Rs ten lakh for a Gandhi Film foundation documentary though it was a commercial venture, following which in 2003, over Rs three lakh was donated to the State Kabaddi Association.

“I saw the fund papers. It is an arbitary process. The trust does not hold any meetings,” says RTI activist, Shailesh Gandhi.

And interestingly, RTI documents also detail a government order in 2001 that made the fund open to non-calamities, clearing the way to divert money from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

However, beneficiaries such as Suyog, a well-known production house for Marathi plays that received Rs five lakh for a Lavani performers' foreign trip are on the defensive.

“The government helps us this way. We do not misuse the government money,” says Partner, Suyog, Gopal Algeri.

With crores collected from public being bungled, Mumbaikars question credibility of the CM's relief fund. Many people ask that cultural shows can be easily sponsored, so ‘why use the government fund?’

Many people feel that the fund is public money and not for recreation purpose. Others doubt is the CM’s trust could be trusted.

However, glaring misuse of public donations could well make many people rethink their next contribution to a Relief fund.