Under the current Congress government in Telangana, led by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) has undergone a significant transformation. This initiative has made the fund more accessible to those in dire need and has effectively doubled the amount of financial assistance disbursed annually compared to the previous administration. A crucial procedural change implemented to prevent misuse involves printing the beneficiary’s bank account number directly on every cheque.
During its two consecutive terms from 2014 to 2023, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government, previously at the helm of the State, distributed an average of ₹400 crore per year through the CMRF. In stark contrast, the Revanth Reddy administration has disbursed an impressive ₹1,530 crore in just 21 months, translating to approximately ₹760 crore annually, according to official figures from the Chief Minister’s Office. Even more importantly, the CMRF disbursal under the new government has remained entirely free of scams, a stark departure from the previous regime where criminal cases involving the misuse of CMRF funds were filed against individuals connected to BRS MLAs.
Just recently, Hyderabad’s Jubilee Hills police arrested seven individuals for their involvement in the misappropriation of CMRF funds. These individuals were found to be fake beneficiaries who had fraudulently obtained CMRF cheques. Investigations into similar cases of ‘misuse of CMRF cheques’ are currently underway across various parts of the State, aiming to determine if these incidents are part of a larger, coordinated criminal conspiracy or distinct schemes.
Upon assuming office in December 2023, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s officials discovered significant irregularities in how CMRF applications were processed by the CMO during the BRS era. Funds were frequently released without adhering to established standard operating procedures. A critical loophole identified was the practice of issuing cheques solely in the beneficiary’s name. This flaw allowed fraudsters to open bank accounts in the beneficiary’s name without their knowledge, deposit the cheques, and subsequently withdraw the funds.
“We successfully thwarted this fraudulent practice by ensuring that the beneficiary’s bank account number is explicitly displayed on the CMRF cheque,” stated Vemula Srinivas, an Officer on Special Duty with the CMO.
To further streamline the CMRF disbursement process and enhance efficiency, officials have compiled a comprehensive list of nearly 5,100 hospitals registered with the Director of Medical and Health. Additionally, all MLAs and MPs are now provided with secure credentials to log into the official CMRF website. This system allows public representatives to directly enter the details of individuals seeking monetary assistance. Each application is assigned a unique token number for easy tracking and future reference, and every submission undergoes meticulous scrutiny and review before a decision is made regarding the amount to be released.