CMF fellows: Don't scrap fellowship

Rohan Kawley works with CSR firm Samhita

Upset over allegations that the expenditure of the Chief Minister's Fellowship (CMF) is a burden on the state exchequer, and that the previous government had used this project to further its political agenda, former fellows have requested Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to continue the programme that benefited them. They feel it would help newcomers to join CMF, and the programme should not be put on hold, or scrapped altogether.

The fellows, who are now working with Maharashtra and other state government agencies, social organisations and/or have started their own companies, spoke to mid-day underlining the importance of the programme. They also appreciated Thackeray's views that the current fellows should continue till the end of their contract. The programme is now running the fifth batch.

Despite the Congress and NCP's demand for scrapping, Thackeray last Wednesday sought to first get to know the features and selection process of the CMF that his predecessor Devendra Fadnavis had started in 2015. Sources in the bureaucracy said that the CM appeared to be convinced about not terminating the services immediately, but hasn't decided yet on continuing the programme after the current 11-month term ends in May-June this year.

Suhail Sheikh works with the Punjab government

Suhail Sheikh from the 2017 batch, who now works with the Punjab CM, said he couldn't have dreamt of getting an opportunity to intern with the Maharashtra government. "I come from Bastar district in Chhattisgarh. I passed all tests and interviews. The moment I stepped into the system, I was met by colleagues who were brilliant in their respective skill sets and represented incomparable diversity, which is the basic ethos of the Constitution of this country. I grew through this process," he said, adding, "I was chosen [by the Punjab government] because of my professional hygiene and the work which I had done in the past. I stood out in the crowd because I was the only one who knew how a government works up and close. All the credit goes to my CMF journey in Maharashtra."

Raviraj Pawar of the 2018 batch now works as a consultant with CIDCO in Navi Mumbai. He said the CMF helped him and his batchmates understand how the government machinery and democratic institutions worked. "During the tenure of my fellowship, I worked with the CM's War Room which monitored fast-tracking crucial infrastructure projects. I worked on the Navi Mumbai International Airport project, and because of that experience, I landed my current role as a consultant with CIDCO. The fellowship gave me a platform to give back to society in some way and also helped me transition from the engineering sector to the management space seamlessly."

Rishad Surti, who worked with UNDP

Rutuja Joshi of the 2016 batch, who is a senior executive with Deloitte India, said that she was disappointed, and felt the move would disregard all the work accomplished by two hundred young professionals over the past four years. She contested a claim that CMF burdened the state's exchequer. "CMF incurs an expenditure of Rs 2.47 crore per year by way of R45,000 monthly compensation for each fellow. The amount is approximately 0.000741 per cent of Maharashtra's budgetary estimates of revenue expenditure for 2019-20 (Rs 3,43,273.39 crore). Simple arithmetic indicates that the exchequer does not stand to bear a very heavy burden on account of the CMF," she said.

After successfully completing CMF, Rohan Kawley from the 2017 batch graduated to working in the social organisation Samhita, that works in the field of CSR. "The CMF not only made youth a priority but gave each person, irrespective of their background, ideology and identity, equal opportunity to shape their future. It made a phenomenal difference in the way governments work by giving access to the young voter to play a critical role in shaping policies, programmes and governance for welfare of the people of the state by bringing him/her inside the echleons of the government," he said.

Rutuja Joshi who nows works with Deloitte India

Another former fellow Rishad Surti, who has worked with UNDP, feels the CMF helped him impact lives. "It is an ideal platform that has helped bring fresh and innovative ideas into governance. Being part of the inaugural batch is a standout feature for me. I also stand by the transparency and professionalism of the selection procedure. It only gives deserving candidates a chance to prove their mettle," he said.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates