SC Rejects Plea to Transfer Donations to NDRF
The PM CARES fund, (Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations) was created on 28th March, 2020 after the coronavirus outbreak. However, no details regarding the fund or the amount collected are available to the public yet.
According to the official website of PM India, 'Keeping in mind the need for having a dedicated national fund with the primary objective of dealing with any kind of emergency or distress situation, like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide relief to the affected, a public charitable trust under the name of ‘Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund’ (PM CARES Fund)’ has been set up'. Although there has been debates about PM Cares funds, people have been donating money every now and then. The issue arose when people were shut down repeatedly about the details of donors and donations even though the money was donated by us, for us. The PMO India's office has refused Right to Information regarding PM CARES funds time and again even after these requests flooded the social media.
On Tuesday the Supreme Court said, "The PM Cares fund is valid as a public charitable fund. There is no need to transfer all contributions to NDRF," followed by "any individual or institution can contribute to the Disaster Relief Fund." The Centre had set up the Funds in case of any emergency and is now refusing to directly transfer the contributions to National Disaster Response Force, NDRF.
What is the problem, then?
The right question to ask right now is, why can not the contributions be transferred to NDRF? The problem is if the money can not be audited then how will the people keep track of it? Also, while discarding the plea, the Supreme Court added 'that there is no need for a fresh national disaster relief plan.'
In conclusion, neither PMO is sharing receipts for PM CARES funds nor the funds are being transferred to NDRF. A confused ruler and a chaotic state indeed.