Maharashtra CM’s Relief Fund gets Centre’s nod to receive foreign donations for social programmes
Mumbai: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has granted Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010, registration to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) of Maharashtra, thereby allowing it to receive foreign donations for “social” initiatives.
This marks the first instance of a state government’s relief fund receiving FCRA approval, a move that will enable the fund to supplement financial aid for victims of natural disasters, major accidents, communal violence, terrorist attacks, and for individuals requiring medical or educational assistance, as reported by The Hindu.
State relief funds generally rely on domestic contributions. The Centre’s latest decision departs from its earlier stance in 2018, when it declined foreign aid for flood relief efforts in Kerala.
The CMRF, registered as a Trust under the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950, is overseen by the Maharashtra government under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister. A tender floated in February indicated that 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 (PM CARES), established in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, was exempted from FCRA provisions and permitted to maintain a separate account for foreign donations.
The Home Ministry regulates foreign donations through the FCRA to ensure that such funds do not adversely affect country’s internal security, added the report. All associations, NGOs, or groups intending to receive foreign funds for social, educational, religious, economic, or cultural activities must be registered under the Act.
So far this year, FCRA registration has been granted to 244 organisations, including the Ramakrishna Mission in Kolkata, the Ramakrishna Mission Hospital in Itanagar, and several Buddhist associations. As of May 30, India has 16,141 FCRA-registered NGOs.
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4 children test HIV positive in MP govt hospital; contaminated blood transfusion suspected
Satna/Bhopal (PTI): Four children suffering from thalassemia have tested HIV positive at Satna District Hospital in Madhya Pradesh allegedly due to contaminated blood transfusions, officials said on Tuesday.
The case is four months old and an investigation is underway into it, an official said.
Officials suspect the use of contaminated needles or blood transfusions for the spread of infection to the children.
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MP Health Minister Rajendra Shukla told reporters in Bhopal that he has ordered a probe into the matter and sought a report.
“It is also being investigated whether the blood transfusion took place in other hospitals also or only in the government hospital,” he said.
The affected children, aged between 12 and 15 years, received blood transfusions from the hospital's blood bank, as per an official.
Devendra Patel, in-charge of the blood bank at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel District Hospital in Satna, said four children have tested HIV positive and an investigation is underway to determine how they got infected.
"Either an infected needle was used or a blood transfusion occurred. These are the two main reasons I believe. Blood transfusion seems to be the most likely cause," he told PTI Videos.
All these children suffer from thalassemia, and some have received 80 or 100 blood transfusions, he said.
A family member of one of the affected children said that their child was found to be HIV positive during a routine checkup about four months back, and he has been receiving medication, but it had proven to be of no use.
After taking the medication for HIV, the child starts vomiting, feels low and becomes ill, he said.
After the four children were detected with HIV infection, their family members were also tested and the results came out negative, he added.
The Opposition Congress targeted the government over the matter and demanded the resignation of Health Minister Shukla.
Speaking to reporters in Bhopal, Congress MLA and former minister Sachin Yadav claimed such incidents were continuously occurring in Madhya Pradesh.
Earlier, a case of toxic cough syrup came to light in Chhindwara, followed by incidents of rat bites at hospitals in Indore and Satna, and now children have been given HIV-infected blood, he said.
"The health minister is unable to manage the department. He should resign. A murder case should be filed against those responsible for the Satna incident," Yadav said.
Senior Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma termed it a failure of the government. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's government has no connection with ground realities, he charged.
"Somewhere rats are roaming in hospitals, somewhere children are being given HIV-infected blood. Instead of preventing HIV, you are spreading it. Mohan Yadav should wake up from his slumber. Children are the nation's heritage and should be taken care of," he added.
