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PM-Care Fund

8th February, 2022

Figure 1: No Copyright Infringement Intended

Context:

  • According to an audit, only 1/3rd of PM Care fund was spent.

Finding of audit:

  • The PM CARES Fund collected Rs. 10,990 crore since its inception in March 2020 until March 2021.
  • It spent Rs. 3,976 crore during the 2020-21 financial year.
  • In the financial year 2020-21, it received voluntary contributions from domestic donors to the tune of Rs. 7,184 crore and foreign contributions amounting to Rs. 494 crore. 

Expenditure:

  • The largest disbursal of Rs. 1,393 crore went to purchase 6.6 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
  • 1,311 crore was used to buy 50,000 Made in India ventilators for use in Central and State government hospitals. 
  • 201 crore spent on installing 162 Pressure Swing Adsorption medical oxygen generation plants inside public health facilities.
  • 50 crore to establish two makeshift COVID hospitals in Muzaffarnagar and Patna with 500 beds each.
  • 20 crore was used to upgrade two autonomous institute laboratories under the Department of Biotechnology as Central Drug Laboratories to test and release batches of the COVID vaccine.

About PM-Cares:

Created

Established on 27th March 2020

Objective

·        To help people affected by the Covid 19 Pandemic

·        To render financial assistance, provide grants of payments of money

·        To undertake and support relief or assistance of any kind relating to a public health emergency or any other kind of emergency, calamity or distress, either man-made or natural, including the creation or upkeep of healthcare or pharmaceutical facilities

Board Structure

·        Chairman: Prime Minister

·        Other Members: Home Minister , Defence Minister and Finance Minister

·        Prime Minister shall have the power to nominate 3 trustees to the Board of Trustees who shall be the eminent persons in the field of research, science, health, social work, public administration law, and philanthropy.

Financing

·        It can’t receive funds through government budgetary support.

·        Consists entirely of voluntary contributions from individuals/organizations.

Administration

·        on an honorary basis by a Joint Secretary (Administration) in the PMO as Secretary to the fund.

·        assistance on honorary basis by an Officer of the rank of Director/Deputy Secretary (Administration) in the PMO.

·        The Prime Minister’s Office provides such administrative and secretarial support to the Trustees for the management and administration of the Trust

Other Details

·        Donations to PM CARES Fund qualifies for 80G benefits for 100% exemption under the Income Tax Act, 1961.

·        Donations to PM CARES Fund also qualifies to be counted as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) expenditure under the Companies Act, 2013

 

FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulating Act) status

·        Got exemption under the FCRA

·        A separate account for receiving foreign donations has been opened.

·        Can accept donations and contributions from individuals and organizations based in foreign countries.

Auditing

·        Independent Auditor

·        no statutory period prescribed for audit of the PM CARES under Income Tax Act. However, audit will be conducted at the end of the Financial Year.