Latest news with #ForeignContribution(Regulation)Act
India Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Kerala slams Centre over foreign aid approval to Maharashtra, cites bias
The CPI(M)-led Kerala government on Sunday accused the BJP-ruled Centre of political bias after it permitted Maharashtra to accept foreign contributions for disaster relief while denying similar requests from Kerala during its devastating 2018 Finance Minister K N Balagopal stated that the state welcomed the Centre's approval for Maharashtra but called out what he described as 'discriminatory treatment' between support the decision to give permission to Maharashtra, but there shouldn't be differential treatment towards states. It shows that centre sees the states differently and that is based on politics. It is not right for the administrators to show that their criteria is not the disaster but politics. This is not right for the relation between state and centre,' said Balagopal. His remarks came after the Maharashtra Chief Minister's Relief Fund was granted registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA), making it eligible to receive foreign aid. This contrasts sharply with the Centre's earlier refusal to allow Kerala to accept foreign assistance during the 2018 floods, despite offers from countries including the Balagopal's concerns, CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar also criticised the Centre, accusing it of showing 'step-motherly treatment' toward Union Government's recent approval allowing foreign contributions to the Maharashtra Chief Minister's Relief Fund starkly highlights the injustice done to Kerala during the devastating 2018 floods, when foreign aid was blocked and contributions to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund were disallowed,' he said.'At the time of the 2018 floods that devastated the state of Kerala, many international organisations including the Government of UAE expressed their willingness to extend a helping hand to Kerala but such requests were outrightly denied by the BJP government,' Kumar InTrending Reel IN THIS STORY#Kerala#Maharashtra
Economic Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Kerala slams Centre for 'discrimination' over foreign aid policy
Kerala's finance minister accuses the central government of political bias for allowing Maharashtra to receive foreign aid while denying the same to Kerala during the 2018 floods. He criticizes the discriminatory treatment, suggesting Maharashtra's closeness to the ruling party influenced the decision. The minister also alleges apathy towards Kerala regarding the Wayanad landslide tragedy and unmet expectations for financial assistance. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Kerala's CPI(M)-led Left government on Sunday accused the BJP-ruled Centre of political bias after it allowed Maharashtra to accept foreign aid while denying similar help to Kerala during its 2018 Finance Minister K N Balagopal said Kerala has no objection to Maharashtra receiving foreign assistance for relief efforts. However, he criticised the Union government for what he called "discriminatory treatment" between states."It's not disasters and sufferings of people but politics that is the criterion for the Centre to take such decisions, which is unbecoming of administrators," he said while addressing reporters state finance minister's sharp reaction comes amidst reports that the Maharashtra Chief Minister's Relief Fund has been accorded a licence under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, thus making it eligible to receive foreign funding. As per the law, all associations and NGOs receiving foreign contributions are required to be registered under the to official sources, the Maharashtra Chief Minister's Relief Fund located at Mantralaya in Mumbai has been registered with the FCRA after it fulfilled the reiterating that Kerala has no objection to Maharashtra receiving foreign aid for relief, Balagopal said there was no justification for denying the same approval to the southern also said that the Maharashtra government's perceived closeness to the ruling front at the Centre leads other states, including Kerala, to believe that this may have influenced the Union government's stance, he said, is a "violation" of the country's federal principles and the principle of equal treatment that should be guaranteed by the Centre to all warned that differentiating between states based on political considerations, even during natural calamities, would damage healthy relations between the Union government and the states."There should be equal justice in such matters. Everyone expects the rule of law and fairness in these circumstances," the minister said, urging the Centre to treat all states Kerala permission to accept foreign funds while granting the same to Maharashtra is unacceptable, he also alleged that the Centre had shown apathy towards the state during the Wayanad landslide Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited the landslide-hit hamlets in Wayanad, no financial relief has been announced for the state by the Centre in this regard so far, he further charged."We expected that an announcement of financial assistance for landslide-hit Wayanad would come from the PM when he arrived here for the inauguration of Vizhinjam seaport. But nothing has happened," he the state had expected a viability gap fund without condition for Vizhinjam Port, it was also not granted by the union government yet, the finance minister to the website of the Maharashtra chief minister's relief fund, it aims at providing immediate relief to the people in distress in Maharashtra as well as in the chief minister's relief fund provides financial assistance to people affected by major natural calamities like floods, droughts, fire accidents, also provides financial assistance to economically weaker sections for treatment of major FCRA licence is a permit issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs that allows registered organisations to accept foreign funds for specific licences are crucial for the NGOs, trusts and other entities seeking to receive foreign funding for social, cultural, religious or educational activities.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Kerala slams Centre for 'discrimination' over foreign aid policy
Kerala's CPI(M)-led Left government on Sunday accused the BJP-ruled Centre of political bias after it allowed Maharashtra to accept foreign aid while denying similar help to Kerala during its 2018 floods. State Finance Minister K N Balagopal said Kerala has no objection to Maharashtra receiving foreign assistance for relief efforts. However, he criticised the Union government for what he called "discriminatory treatment" between states. "It's not disasters and sufferings of people but politics that is the criterion for the Centre to take such decisions, which is unbecoming of administrators," he said while addressing reporters here. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Advanced Strategic Management IIMK ASMP Apply Now Undo The state finance minister's sharp reaction comes amidst reports that the Maharashtra Chief Minister's Relief Fund has been accorded a licence under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, thus making it eligible to receive foreign funding. As per the law, all associations and NGOs receiving foreign contributions are required to be registered under the FCRA. According to official sources, the Maharashtra Chief Minister's Relief Fund located at Mantralaya in Mumbai has been registered with the FCRA after it fulfilled the criteria. Live Events While reiterating that Kerala has no objection to Maharashtra receiving foreign aid for relief, Balagopal said there was no justification for denying the same approval to the southern state. He also said that the Maharashtra government's perceived closeness to the ruling front at the Centre leads other states, including Kerala, to believe that this may have influenced the decision. The Union government's stance, he said, is a "violation" of the country's federal principles and the principle of equal treatment that should be guaranteed by the Centre to all states. Balagopal warned that differentiating between states based on political considerations, even during natural calamities, would damage healthy relations between the Union government and the states. "There should be equal justice in such matters. Everyone expects the rule of law and fairness in these circumstances," the minister said, urging the Centre to treat all states equally. Denying Kerala permission to accept foreign funds while granting the same to Maharashtra is unacceptable, he added. Balagopal also alleged that the Centre had shown apathy towards the state during the Wayanad landslide tragedy. Although Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited the landslide-hit hamlets in Wayanad, no financial relief has been announced for the state by the Centre in this regard so far, he further charged. "We expected that an announcement of financial assistance for landslide-hit Wayanad would come from the PM when he arrived here for the inauguration of Vizhinjam seaport. But nothing has happened," he said. Though the state had expected a viability gap fund without condition for Vizhinjam Port, it was also not granted by the union government yet, the finance minister added. According to the website of the Maharashtra chief minister's relief fund, it aims at providing immediate relief to the people in distress in Maharashtra as well as in the country. The chief minister's relief fund provides financial assistance to people affected by major natural calamities like floods, droughts, fire accidents, etc. It also provides financial assistance to economically weaker sections for treatment of major diseases. An FCRA licence is a permit issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs that allows registered organisations to accept foreign funds for specific purposes. These licences are crucial for the NGOs, trusts and other entities seeking to receive foreign funding for social, cultural, religious or educational activities.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Foreign aid nod to Maharashtra: Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal slams Centre for unfair treatment
Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal has accused the Union government of bias in permitting Maharashtra to accept foreign aid for its Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF). Responding to the Centre's decision, Mr. Balagopal said here on Sunday that Kerala had been denied permission to accept aid from outside the country in the aftermath of the devastating 2018 floods. The Union government had denied permission despite the offers for assistance from abroad, he recalled. Mr. Balagopal said that Kerala was not against Maharashtra receiving foreign aid, but it was important that the Union government saw all States on an equal footing. Discrimination He said that it would not be surprising if Keralites felt that even in moments of great crisis, there was discrimination among States. 'Any State receiving aid in a crisis is a good thing. Giving permission to accept the aid is also a good thing. But the Centre's approach gives room for doubt that the decision is driven by political bias,' he said. Mr. Balagopal said it was quite unbecoming of administrators when politics became the yardstick and not the magnitude of disasters. Such approaches also failed to uphold federal principles, he said. The Kerala Finance Minister's remarks come close on the heels of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs granting the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010, registration to Maharashtra's CMDRF, thereby enabling it to receive foreign donations for 'social' programmes. No aid post-landslides Mr. Balagopal also recalled that, following the 2024 landslides in Wayanad, Kerala had expected Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce assistance on two occasions—during his visit to the disaster sites and later when he dedicated the Vizhinjam port to the nation. On both occasions, the State was disappointed, he said.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Centre allows Maharashtra CM's Relief Fund to receive foreign funds
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.
