In a significant move, the Chief Minister's Medical Assistance Fund has received approval under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), enabling it to legally accept donations from overseas. This opens the door for philanthropic individuals, corporate companies, and international organisations to directly contribute financial support. The Chief Minister’s Relief Fund Office announced the development on Monday. Officials stated that this will enhance the fund’s ability to provide critical healthcare assistance to underprivileged and economically challenged patients across Maharashtra, especially in cases where existing state or central schemes fall short in covering medical expenses.
For the first time in the state, the government is introducing two new models to raise aid: tripartite Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and crowdfunding. Rameshwar Naik, head of the Relief Fund Office, revealed that these models aim to create a collaboration between the CM fund, corporate companies, donors, hospitals, and even the patients themselves. Through these partnerships, financial aid will be streamlined and accessible. Thousands of patients are expected to benefit under this scheme, especially for high-cost treatments. Tripartite agreements are set to be formalised soon with involvement from all stakeholders.
To make the process smoother and transparent, a dedicated online portal will be launched within the next three months where eligible patients or their families can apply for assistance. In cases where medical expenses run into crores of rupees and government schemes fail to cover the entire amount, crowdfunding will play a crucial role. This integrated effort will involve CSR contributions, NGOs, and individual donors alongside the CM fund to collectively support life-saving treatments. Authorities believe this system will transform how medical assistance is delivered in the state.
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Between January 1 and June 30, 2025, financial support worth ₹128.66 crore was disbursed to 14,651 patients under the CM Medical Assistance Fund. Additionally, the Charity Hospital Aid Cell provided ₹165.04 crore to help 2,32,265 patients between January 1 and May 31, 2025. These figures reflect the state’s ongoing commitment to healthcare access for all, especially the poor. The introduction of foreign contributions and modern fundraising models like crowdfunding is expected to multiply this impact in the coming months, ensuring that no patient is denied treatment due to lack of funds.