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.
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.
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.