New Delhi: According to an audit statement made publicly by the government, the PM-CARES Fund for Covid received 3,076 crores in five days. In the financial year 2020 statement, there is a record of donations only between March 27 (when the fund was established) to March 31. Out of this, 3,076 crores, 3,075.85 crores were from domestic voluntary contribution and 39.67 lakh were from foreign contribution. According to the statement, PM-CARES had an initial fund of 2.25 lakhs, and the fund also received an interest of about 35 lakhs.
The audit statement has been uploaded on the PM-CARES Fund website, but the statement “Notes 1 to 6” has not been made public. This means details of domestic and foreign contributors or donors have also not been disclosed by the government.
Former Finance Minister Chidambaram questioned in a tweet why the names of “these liberal donors” were not disclosed. “Why? Each other NGO or trust is obliged to reveal the names of donors who contribute more than a limit. Why is the PM-CARES Fund exempted from this obligation? ”
The senior Congress leader also tweeted: “The donor is well known. Trustees of donors are also well known. Why are the trustees afraid to reveal the names of the donors? “
The PM-CARES Fund or Relief in Prime Minister’s Civil Assistance and Emergency Situation Fund was set up by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March to “deal with emergency or critical situations like the Corona virus epidemic”. It is managed by trustees with PM Modi as its chairman and senior cabinet members.
In June, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) rejected an RTI application seeking details of the PM-CARES Fund, including a trust deed stating that “the fund is not a public authority under the RTI Act” . ” But the audit statement has been signed by PMO officials on behalf of PM-CARES.
PMO joint secretary Shrikar K Pardeshi has signed the audit statement on behalf of the PM-CARS fund as “Secretary”, while Gujarat cadre IAS officer Hardik Shah, PM Modi’s personal secretary, as deputy secretary fund The statement is signed.
