PM Cares Fund Is Not A Govt Of India Fund And Cannot Be Treated As A Public Authority, PMO Tells Delhi High Court

PM Cares Fund: The Prime Minister's Office has told the Delhi High Court today i.e. Tuesday (January 31) that PM CARES is not a fund of the Government of India. The government has said in its reply that it cannot even be considered as a public authority. 

Public Charitable Trust

The affidavit filed by the Under Secretary of the PMO states that the PM CARES Fund has been set up as a Public Charitable Trust. It is not created under the Constitution of India, an Act of Parliament or any State Legislature.
In fact, the PMO has responded to a petition filed by a person named Samyak Gangwal. Gangwal had demanded to declare PM Cares as a government fund under Article 12 of the Indian Constitution. The PMO affidavit states that there is no control, directly or indirectly, of the central government or any state government in the functioning of the trust.

Accepts only voluntary donations

The PMO has further stated that the PM CARES Fund accepts only voluntary donations from individuals and institutions and does not accept any budgetary provision or money coming from the balance sheet of public undertakings.

Was formed during the Corona period

Prime Minister Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-CARES) Fund was constituted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 28 March 2020 to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. The purpose of setting up this fund was to get the cooperation of the general public in dealing with the coronavirus epidemic. Also, the amount collected in this fund was used to help the victims of coronavirus.