MUMBAI, AUG 29: While an indebted nation has donated generously to raise hundreds of crores for the Kargil heroes, not a single paisa has reached the Army from the Maharashtra Government so far. This, when a special cell was set up by Chief Minister Narayan Rane on July 6 to coordinate donations from the State to the Army Welfare Fund (AWF). What's more, the cell, which was to raise minimum of Rs 50 cr, has managed to collect a meager Rs 2.7 cr and even this amount will reach AWF only after September 15.If this is not ridiculous enough, the reason for this failure is almost farcical. The cell could not raise enough funds because its officials did not have the receipt books to acknowledge the donations. This truth dawned on officials during a stock-taking meeting at Mantralaya on Friday. However, instead of making quick amends, the cell will get the receipt books only after September 15, almost 20 days after the meeting.The Rane ministry formally decided to set up a separate cell early in July tocoordinate financial assistance to martyrs of Kargil conflict by individual/organisational donors with the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF). Immediately after the cell was announced all 48 ministers donated a day's salary to the CRMF. The government got printed thousands of posters appealing people to generously donate for the Kargil cause. The posters promised a receipt for the donations, exemption from Income Tax and an assurance that the money will indeed go to the AWF.As of today the bulk of the fund, Rs 1.13 crore out of Rs 2.73 crore, in the cell's custody has come from a day's salary donated by employees of 14 out of 27 departments in Mantralaya. Of the targeted Rs 50 crore, nearly Rs 30 crore was to come from a day's salary of employees of all government and semi-government bodies, various corporations, undertakings and Zilla Parishads etc. However, one day's salary from several government employees is yet to be deducted.Admitting the dismal performance of the cell, a high-ranking IAS officertold The Indian Express on condition of anonymity that the situation will improve only by mid-September. ``The problems in deducting a day's salary will soon be sorted out and a handsome amount will be deposited to the fund. The same will be forwarded to the AWF at the earliest,'' the senior bureaucrat added.In contrast, the Department for Welfare of Retired Soldiers in Maharashtra, has done a commendable job in reaching funds to the families of soldiers from the State who laid down their lives in Kargil. Out of the 21 martyrs from Maharashtra, families of 13 have been given Rs five lakh each while assistance to others is being processed. Widows of two soldiers from Nashik district, Rekha Eknath Khairnar and Surekha Suresh Chavan, have been given government jobs commensurate with their educational qualification.
