T’puram: Chief minister’s distress relief fund (CMDRF) has disbursed Rs 9.27 crore to beneficiaries across the state in just 41 days, with beneficiaries from Malappuram receiving the highest allocation and Kannur the lowest, according to an official data detailing sanctions issued between May 18 and June 27.Records show that a total of Rs 9,27,44,122 was sanctioned through various govt orders and direct benefit transfer (DBT) during the period. Malappuram received the largest share at Rs 1,37,63,500, followed closely by Palakkad (Rs 1,24,48,000) and Kollam (Rs 1,24,40,000). Thrissur was allotted Rs 1,05,20,000, while Wayanad received Rs 1,03,92,000. At the other end, Kannur received just Rs 10,83,000, the lowest among all districts, followed by Kasaragod with Rs 22,36,377.The statement identifies only a few specific purposes for which assistance was sanctioned. These include Rs 5 lakh for the dependents of a deceased person in Kollam, Rs 2,12,245 as educational assistance in Idukki, Rs 10 lakh for rehabilitation and Rs 56 lakh for the dependents of those killed in the firecracker explosion in Thrissur, Rs 3,500 towards lightning-related damage in Kozhikode, and Rs 99.93 lakh for the construction of a memorial in Wayanad, to commemorate those who lost their lives in the Mundakkai-Chooralmala disaster.For Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kannur and Kasaragod, however, the allocations have been provided as DBT.Over Rs 600cr sanctioned for Wayanad victims unusedMeanwhile, govt statistics indicate that a substantial portion of the money collected for the 2024 Wayanad landslide tragedy remains unspent. The CMDRF portal shows that Rs 773.98 crore was received for the disaster between July 30, 2024, and July 31, 2025. Despite the previous govt having nearly a full year after the end of the collection period to utilize the funds collected for the specific purpose, only Rs 172.05 crore had been allotted.The portal also shows that Rs 457.4 crore came as contributions from the public and govt employees, while another Rs 316.58 crore was credited through the designated treasury public account.“At a time when the revenue department was struggling to meet the requirements of the victims of Wayanad landslide, the CMDRF portal now shows that more than Rs 600 crore collected in the name of the disaster remains unallotted. We hope the present govt will move quickly to utilize the funds for the purpose for which they were contributed,” a senior revenue dept source said.
