A recent Right to Information (RTI) query filed by Vaibhav Kokat has highlighted a huge disparity between the funds collected and the assistance provided to flood-hit farmers in Maharashtra.
According to the data, the Chief Minister's Relief Fund received over ₹106 crore in October 2025, specifically to support those affected by the devastating September floods in the Marathwada region. However, despite this massive inflow, the RTI revealed that only ₹75,000 was actually disbursed to the distressed farmers during that period.
The substantial corpus was built through a state-wide donation drive involving contributions from citizens across various socio-economic backgrounds. The government implemented specific measures to boost the fund, including deducting one day's salary from state employees and a month's salary from MLAs.
Additionally, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis issued an official circular instructing sugar factories to contribute ₹10 per ton of cane crushed. Despite these aggressive collection efforts and demands from the Opposition for loan waivers, the disbursement rate remains negligible.
In response to Kokat’s inquiry regarding the utilization of funds in October 2025, Manisha Sawant, an official with the CM Relief Fund, confirmed the numbers. She stated, “The contribution CM relief fund receives to support flood hit farmers is disbursed to farmers according to the order/direction given by the Chief Minister. In October 2025, flood hit farmers were distributed Rs 75,000.”
Kokat took to social media platform X to express his frustration, calling the revelation a "betrayal of trust." He pointed twoards the sacrifices made by the public, noting that some donors dipped into pension funds or cut back on wedding expenses to contribute.
“The RTI revelations deal a sharp blow to public trust,” Kokat wrote. “If the state cannot show where the money went, why would anyone ever donate again and will any official explanation now make a real difference to the farmers still struggling in the flood’s aftermath?”
The activist has since demanded greater transparency from the administration, calling for the creation of an independent dashboard to track the fund's cash flow. He urged the government to publicly declare monthly inflows and utilization details on social media to restore donor confidence.
“My demand is that the government should develop an independent dashboard to enhance its transparency,” Kokat stated, questioning whether the administration would provide answers to the farmers currently navigating the crisis without the expected financial aid.
