Centre allows Maharashtra CM’s Relief Fund to receive foreign funds

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. File. | Photo Credit: PTI

NEW DELHI

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has granted the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010, registration to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund of Maharashtra, enabling it to receive foreign donations for “social” programmes.

This is the first time that a State government relief body has been granted permission to receive foreign funds under the Act to supplement financial assistance to those affected by natural calamities, major accidents, communal riots, terrorist attacks or those in need of medical and educational help. The relief funds of State governments usually run on domestic donations and contributions.

In 2018, India had declined foreign aid for Kerala flood relief. 

The Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) of Maharashtra is registered as a Trust under the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950, its website said. It is managed by the State of Maharashtra under the chairmanship of Chief Minister who exercises overall supervision and control over the funds. According to a tender floated in February, the average number of transactions handled by the CMRF are between one lakh and 1.5 lakh per year.

The Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund or the PM CARES Fund – set up in March 2020 to tackle distress situations such as that posed by the COVID-19 pandemic – was exempted from the FCRA provisions, and a “separate account for receiving foreign donations” was opened.

Registration mandatory

The Home Ministry regulates foreign donations through the FCRA to ensure that such funds do not adversely affect country’s internal security. It is compulsory to register under the Act, first enacted in 1976, if an association, group or NGO intends to receive foreign donations. The 1976 Act was repealed and replaced with a new legislation in 2010. It was further amended in 2020. Registered associations can receive foreign contributions for social, educational, religious, economic and cultural programmes.

This year, FCRA registrations were granted to 244 NGOs or associations, including the Ramakrishna Mission in Kolkata, the Ramakrishna Mission Hospital in Itanagar, and seven Buddhist associations. As on Friday, there were 16,141 FCRA-registered NGOs in the country.

Published - May 30, 2025 11:35 pm IST