CMF fellows: Don't scrap fellowship

Upset over allegations that the expenditure of the Chief Ministers 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 altogetherThe fellows who are now working with Maharashtra and other state government agencies social organisations andor have started their own companies spoke to midday underlining the importance of the programme They also appreciated Thackerays views that the current fellows should continue till the end of their contract The programme is now running the fifth batchDespite the Congress and NCPs 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 hasnt decided yet on continuing the programme after the current 11month term ends in MayJune this yearSuhail Sheikh works with the Punjab government Suhail Sheikh from the 2017 batch who now works with the Punjab CM said he couldnt 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 MaharashtraRaviraj 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 CMs War Room which monitored fasttracking 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 seamlesslyRishad Surti who worked with UNDPRutuja 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 states exchequer CMF incurs an expenditure of Rs 247 crore per year by way of R45000 monthly compensation for each fellow The amount is approximately 0000741 per cent of Maharashtras budgetary estimates of revenue expenditure for 201920 Rs 34327339 crore Simple arithmetic indicates that the exchequer does not stand to bear a very heavy burden on account of the CMF she saidAfter 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 himher inside the echleons of the government he saidRutuja Joshi who nows works with Deloitte IndiaAnother 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 saidCatch 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 midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates