The Maharashtra government’s sanctioning of Rs 8 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for a dance troupe to visit Thailand was criticised by the opposition, who questioned the government’s priorities at a time when the state is reeling under severe drought. A Right To Information query filed by activist Anil Galgali revealed that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had approved the sponsoring of a government employees’ dance troupe to participate in a competition in Bangkok in December.

The Chief Minister’s Relief Fund is intended to provide immediate assistance to those affected by disaster within Maharashtra or anywhere in the country. An official from the chief minister’s office dismissed any wrongdoing, saying the fund can be used for financing cultural activities as well. An RTI query in 2008 had revealed that public money collected between 2003 and 2005, when the Congress-NCP coalition was was in power, had gone to the organisers of a kabaddi competition, a women's football match, a ghazal contest, a Marathi actor's fan club and a Congress MLA's religious congregation.