Centre Defends PM CARES Fund In SC, Asks Top Court To Dismiss Petition Seeking Fund Transfer To NDRF

The Central Government on Thursday defending the PM CARES Fund asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the petition seeking transfer of all funds from PM CARES fund to National Disaster Relief Fund.

Centre informed the top court that donations to the NDRF are voluntary in nature.

Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) has termed the PM CARES Fund as ‘non-transparent’. NGO CPIL had filed a Public Interest Litigation over PM CARES fund

PM CARES Fund was set up in March to ‘tackle emergencies like COVID’ according to the Fund. PM Modi is the ex-officio chairman of the fund and ministers of finance & home are ex-officio trustees

Centre has repeatedly denied any information about the fund under the Right to Information Act (RTI). Centre has also said that PM CARES fund outside audit by the CAG.