The Covid pandemic struck India early this year. Many disasters have struck India in the last two decades. The significant ones may be the 1999 Odisha super cyclone 1999, The Gujarat Earthquake 2001, Tsunami 2004, the severe droughts in Maharashtra 2013. These are besides hundreds of other calamities of a comparatively lesser scale every year.
It is common for the PM and the State CMs to seek assistance from the industry and the public to maximise the relief extended. A National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) was established under the Prime Minister, under the Disaster Management Act 2005, to meet all contingencies. NDRF, however, does not accept private donations.
The Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES Fund) was created on 28 March 2020, following the COVID pandemic in India, with the PM of India as the chairman of the Fund and with Ministers of Home, Defence and Finance as members. It was registered as a Charitable Trust with noble intentions to assist COVID-19 pandemic.
The Fund, it’s establishment have not been made public, the PMO claiming that the Fund is not a public authority, hence not falling under the RTI Act 2005. The funds are exempt from all the provisions of FCRA, and the donations are eligible for CSR offsets, unlike PM’s or CM’s National Relief Funds.
The extent of donations received, are unknown like the manner of expenses as well, though media reports claimed Rs.10600 crores in the first two months of the establishment of the funds. Donors include large corporates, PSUs and sports bodies like the BCCI. While several government employees have pledged support, there are also widespread reports of ‘gentle’ coercion to ‘donate’ to the PM CARES fund. The Fund has also received pledges of support from several foreign entities and persons, including Russia’s State-owned defence exports company Rosoboronexport. Chinese interests may have donated to the Fund as well.
The first allocation of a total Rs. 3100 crores have been announced from the PM CARES Fund so far, a substantial sum for the procurement of Indian made ventilators. Such ventilators, however, were met with murmurs from the medical fraternity of being inferior quality and not meeting the standards. A paltry 2923 ventilators have been purchased against a proposed 50000 ventilators so far. Rs.1000 crores are allotted for causes of Migrants, and Rs.100 crores for India developed Vaccine.
The government, facing protests from employees, soon amended their mandate of donation of a part of the salary, giving an opt-out option, which had to be submitted in writing, enabling them being targeted and punished later.
PMO maintained that since the donations are of private contributions, a CAG Audit need not be done. A private auditor has been appointed to check the accounts.
The Supreme Court of India had earlier dismissed the PIL challenging the legality of the constitution of the PM CARES Fund. Still, the Bombay HC later ordered that the details of the funds received to be made public. Petitions were filed in different High Courts and the Supreme Court yesterday sealed the legitimacy stamp on the PM CARES Fund and denied an audit by the CAG.
I recall the famous statement from Justice Hewart, UK-1923: ‘Not only must justice be done, it must also be seen to be done.’ The Lordships must have certainly applied their mind to the rulebooks and check the Acts on audit et cetera.
I believe Modi and his cabinet are incorruptible. But such faith is a heavy burden on their shoulders as well. The symbolism of Lord Rama seeking Sita’s firewalk over a washerman’s gossip must not be missed at all. After all, we are dreaming of a Ram Rajya where morals would be at par, or higher than legal provisions.
Quoting bad precedence and past examples in accountability and transparency will not help improve mutual trust and faith.
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix
1 Comment
Cannot agree more