PM CARES Fund not Fund of GOI: HC

In News

• Recently, the Central government informed the Delhi High Court that the PM CARES Fund is “not a fund of Government of India and the amount does not go in the Consolidated Fund of India”.

About 

• The Centre’s affidavit came in response to a petition filed by Samyak Gangwal before the high court seeking to declare PM CARES as a ‘public authority’ under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
  • It said irrespective of whether the trust is a ‘State’ or other authority within the meaning of Article 12 of the Constitution or whether it is a ‘public authority’ within the meaning of provisions of the Right to Information Act (RTI), it is not permissible to disclose third party information.

About  Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES Fund)

• Established in: March 2020
• Objective: Combat, containment, and relief efforts against the coronavirus outbreak and similar pandemic-like situations in the future. 
• Composition: Prime Minister (Chairman) and other members included Union Home Minister, Finance Minister, and Defence Minister.
• It is a public fund but cannot fall under the purview of the Right to Information Act, 2005.
  • It is a charitable trust not created by or under the Constitution of India or by any law made by the Parliament or by any State legislature.
  • It functions with transparency and its funds are audited by an auditor who is a Chartered Accountant drawn from the panel prepared by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
• Registered under Registration Act, 1908.

Source: IE