CM Majhi announces Rs 10 lakh CMRF aid for two Puri deaths
Synopsis
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has announced Rs 10 lakh each from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund for the families of Anil Das of Cuttack and Ashok Subare Raikar of Mumbai, both of whom died while receiving treatment in Puri on 16 July 2026.
Key Takeaways
Anil Das of Cuttack and Ashok Subare Raikar of Mumbai died while undergoing treatment in Puri on 16 July 2026 .
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep condolences and announced financial relief on 20 July 2026 .
Each bereaved family will receive Rs 10 lakh from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) .
The CMRF is a standing state fund used for immediate ex-gratia payments to families of those who die within Odisha, including out-of-state visitors.
Puri , home to the Jagannath Temple, is one of Odisha's highest-footfall pilgrim destinations, making visitor welfare a persistent administrative priority.
The Chief Minister's Office of Odisha announced on Monday, 20 July 2026 that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has expressed deep condolences over the deaths of two individuals — Anil Das of Cuttack and Ashok Subare Raikar of Mumbai — who passed away while receiving medical treatment in Puri on 16 July 2026. The Chief Minister has simultaneously announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) for the next of kin of the two deceased.
Context
Both individuals fell ill while in Puri and died during treatment on 16 July 2026. Anil Das was a resident of Cuttack, Odisha, while Ashok Subare Raikar had travelled from Mumbai, making him an out-of-state visitor to the pilgrim city. The CMO's post confirmed the relief announcement four days after the deaths, on 20 July 2026.
Puri, home to the iconic Jagannath Temple, draws millions of pilgrims and tourists annually, making it one of Odisha's highest-footfall locations. Incidents of illness and death among visitors are not uncommon given the large crowds and often extreme weather conditions during peak pilgrimage seasons.
Policy Backdrop
The Chief Minister's Relief Fund is a state-administered fund used by successive Odisha governments to provide immediate financial relief to families affected by deaths, illnesses, accidents, and natural disasters. Ex-gratia payments in the range of Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh have been a consistent practice across administrations for deaths occurring within the state, particularly at high-traffic religious sites.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who assumed office in June 2024 as the BJP's first Chief Minister of Odisha in over two decades, has continued this convention. The CMRF mechanism allows the CMO to act swiftly without waiting for legislative or budgetary approvals, enabling near-immediate relief to bereaved families.
Stakeholders and Impact
The immediate beneficiaries are the families of Anil Das and Ashok Subare Raikar, who will each receive Rs 10 lakh from the state exchequer through the CMRF. For the Mumbai-based Raikar family, the state's response signals that Odisha extends its welfare net to out-of-state visitors who die within its borders.
More broadly, the announcement is significant for the large community of pilgrims and tourists who visit Puri each year. The state's visible commitment to ex-gratia relief serves as an assurance to visitors and their families that fatalities during travel will be acknowledged and supported by the government.
What's Next
The key follow-up will be the actual disbursement of the announced Rs 10 lakh amounts to the respective families, which typically occurs within a few days of a CMRF announcement. Advocacy groups and tourism bodies have periodically called for stronger medical infrastructure and emergency response facilities in Puri to reduce pilgrim fatalities.
Whether this incident prompts any review of visitor health and safety protocols at the Jagannath Temple complex or broader Puri tourism circuit remains to be seen, but the state's swift public acknowledgement underscores the political and administrative salience of pilgrim welfare in Odisha.
Point of View
Particularly for fatalities at high-visibility pilgrimage sites. For Chief Minister Majhi, such announcements carry dual significance: they demonstrate administrative responsiveness and reinforce the BJP government's outreach to both resident Odias and out-of-state visitors, a constituency that matters given Puri's national pilgrimage stature. The inclusion of a Mumbai resident in the relief package is notable, as it signals that the state's welfare net extends beyond its own domicile population. The real test, as with all CMRF announcements, lies in the speed and transparency of actual disbursement to the families.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were Anil Das and Ashok Subare Raikar?
Anil Das was a resident of Cuttack , Odisha, and Ashok Subare Raikar was a resident of Mumbai . Both fell ill while in Puri and died during treatment on 16 July 2026 .
How much compensation will the families of the Puri deaths receive?
Chief Minister Mohan Majhi has announced Rs 10 lakh each from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) for the next of kin of both deceased individuals.
What is the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) in Odisha?
The Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) is a state-administered fund in Odisha used to provide immediate financial relief to families affected by deaths, accidents, illness, and natural disasters. It allows the government to disburse aid without waiting for legislative approvals.
Can families of out-of-state visitors who die in Odisha claim CMRF relief?
Yes. Odisha governments have consistently extended CMRF ex-gratia payments to families of out-of-state visitors and pilgrims who die within the state, as seen in the case of Mumbai resident Ashok Subare Raikar .
Who is the current Chief Minister of Odisha?
Mohan Charan Majhi is the Chief Minister of Odisha, having assumed office in June 2024 as the BJP's first Chief Minister of the state in over two decades.
