Chief Minister’s Assistance Fund: A Lifeline for Needy Patients

When a family member is struck by a serious illness, the entire household faces a major emotional and financial setback. Such situations often lead to mental, physical, and economic distress. The burden of high medical expenses can leave underprivileged families helpless. In these difficult moments, the Chief Minister’s Assistance Fund (CMRF) becomes a lifeline for many.

This fund is a vital initiative of the Maharashtra State Government, aimed at extending financial support to poor and needy patients for treatment of severe illnesses, surgeries, organ transplants, and cancer care.

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A Life-Saving Scheme

The Chief Minister’s Assistance Fund was registered as a trust under the Mumbai Public Trust Act of 1950 and is administered under the chairmanship of the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, who oversees its operations and disbursements.

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Objectives of the Fund

• Provide assistance to victims of natural calamities in Maharashtra and other parts of India.
• Offer financial or other forms of support to the victims and families affected by communal riots, terror attacks, or property loss.
• Extend aid to patients requiring urgent treatment or surgery.
• Help families of those who die in accidents (excluding motor/rail/air/ship accidents).
• Assist various organizations in need of financial or other support.
• Offer funding for educational, social, and cultural seminars and conferences.
• Provide partial financial assistance to build educational or medical institutions.

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Purposes for Disbursal from CMRF

While the primary focus is assistance during disasters, the fund also supports the following:

1. Victims of natural disasters (e.g., floods, earthquakes, etc.).
2. Assistance beyond regular government relief in cases of communal riots or bomb blasts, with special permission from the Chief Minister.
3. Partial financial aid to patients who cannot afford the cost of treatment or surgery.

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What Do the Numbers Say?

Between January and June 2025, a total of 23,269 underprivileged patients received ₹148.60 crore in assistance.

• From this, ₹128.06 crore was disbursed to 14,651 patients under the CMRF,
• While ₹15.24 crore was provided to 8,507 patients via the Charitable Hospital Assistance Cell.

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Improved Procedures Introduced

Several changes have been made to improve the functioning of the fund:

• Foreign Donations Enabled: CMRF now accepts foreign contributions for greater funding.
• ‘Charan Seva’ Campaign: Special health services were provided for devotees during pilgrimage season.
• Online Income Certificate Verification: Introduced to bring more transparency in the application process.
• Monitoring of Charitable Hospitals: Free treatments offered by charitable hospitals are now reviewed for quality.

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How the Fund Works

The CMRF process is simple and transparent—no middlemen are needed.

• Applications can be made while the treatment is ongoing.
• First, patients should check options under Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Health Scheme or charitable hospitals.
• If these options are unavailable, CMRF assistance can be availed.

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What Illnesses Are Covered?

The scheme covers 20 major diseases, including:

• Heart, liver, kidney, lung, and bone marrow transplants
• Cancer treatment
• Accidents
• Pediatric surgeries
• Neurological disorders
• Cardiac illnesses
• Dialysis
• Burn injuries
• Neonatal care

Financial aid ranges from ₹25,000 to ₹2 lakh, depending on the illness.

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How to Apply

Submit the following:

• Application in the prescribed format
• Hospital’s cost estimate
• Geo-tagged photo if the patient is admitted
• Income certificate
• Aadhaar card, Ration card
• Medical test reports and relevant documents

Send the application via email to aao.cmrf-mh@gov.in and submit hard copies by post.
For queries, contact: 022-22026948 / 9049789567 or visit cmrf.maharashtra.gov.in