BHUBANESWAR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday asked the district collectors to be in regular touch with the organisations run by Missionaries of Charity, the Kolkata-based philanthropic organisation, founded by Mother Teresa.
Naveen also directed the district heads to ensure that no inmate of these organisations suffers, especially from food security and health-related distress owing to paucity of funds . “Wherever needed, funds from the chief minister’s relief fund (CMRF) can be utilised for this purpose,” the chief minister said.
The state government’s move assumes significance in the wake of the Missionaries of Charity recently asking its centres not to operate any of the foreign contribution (FC) accounts as a measure to ensure that there is no lapse.
The move followed after the ministry of home affairs (MHA) refused to approve the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) renewal of the Missionaries of Charity, saying it did not meet the eligibility conditions.
The Kolkata-based organisation that had arrived in Odisha in 1974 runs as many as 13 centres for the sick, abandoned, elderly, leprosy patients, mentally disabled and orphans.
These include three each in Khurda and Kandhamal, two in Sundargarh, one each in Ganjam, Sambalpur, Mayurbhanj, Kalahandi and Koraput. Nearly one 1,000 marginalised and underprivileged inmates, including children, are part of these organisations. There are four to five other small centres in other districts, officials said.
The district administrations have also geared up following the chief minister’s directive to extend a helping hand to these organisations.
“We have immediately intervened and supplied ration and items of daily needs for the next 15 days at least. The block development officers concerned have been asked to visit these organisations regularly to understand their issues. We will continue to offer all help they need until their accounts are restored,” Khurda district collector Sangram Mohapatra said.
A senior representative of the Missionaries of Charity in Odisha appreciated the chief minister’s gesture to extend help to them.
Naveen also directed the district heads to ensure that no inmate of these organisations suffers, especially from food security and health-related distress owing to paucity of funds . “Wherever needed, funds from the chief minister’s relief fund (CMRF) can be utilised for this purpose,” the chief minister said.
The state government’s move assumes significance in the wake of the Missionaries of Charity recently asking its centres not to operate any of the foreign contribution (FC) accounts as a measure to ensure that there is no lapse.
The move followed after the ministry of home affairs (MHA) refused to approve the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) renewal of the Missionaries of Charity, saying it did not meet the eligibility conditions.
The Kolkata-based organisation that had arrived in Odisha in 1974 runs as many as 13 centres for the sick, abandoned, elderly, leprosy patients, mentally disabled and orphans.
These include three each in Khurda and Kandhamal, two in Sundargarh, one each in Ganjam, Sambalpur, Mayurbhanj, Kalahandi and Koraput. Nearly one 1,000 marginalised and underprivileged inmates, including children, are part of these organisations. There are four to five other small centres in other districts, officials said.
The district administrations have also geared up following the chief minister’s directive to extend a helping hand to these organisations.
“We have immediately intervened and supplied ration and items of daily needs for the next 15 days at least. The block development officers concerned have been asked to visit these organisations regularly to understand their issues. We will continue to offer all help they need until their accounts are restored,” Khurda district collector Sangram Mohapatra said.
A senior representative of the Missionaries of Charity in Odisha appreciated the chief minister’s gesture to extend help to them.
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