PM CARES transparent, BJP hails SC verdict
Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 18
Hailing the Supreme Court verdict while terming the PM CARES Fund as “completely transparent” entity, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today said Rs 3100 crore of its voluntary donations had been used in fight against coronavirus.
Also read: SC refuses to direct transfer of contributions made to PM CARES to NDRF
“Of this Rs 2000 crore are only for the 50,000 ventilators provided to take care of emergency needs of patients, Rs 1000 crore have been given to States to take care of the migrants’ needs and Rs 100 crore allocated for research on a vaccine for coronavirus,” he said slamming the Congress and lobbies for building “false narratives”
“PM CARES is a registered public trust, the chairman of which is the Prime Minister. It has been made for Covid-type emergencies,” he said, calling it very different from PM NRF. “It is not like the family run Rajiv Gandhi Foundation which also received money from China and also PM NRF,’’ said Prasad
“Transparency is writ large in the PM CARES Fund both in the terms of legal requirements and management of funds received in an voluntary basis,” Prasad added, adding that the Narendra Modi government works with complete honesty which is why it also receives blessings from the people. “The same honesty can be seen in the PM Cares Fund,” he said
The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a PIL seeking transfer of money collected under the PM CARES Fund for the COVID-19 pandemic to the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). BJP president JP Nadda called the “verdict by Supreme Court on PM CARES is a resounding blow to the nefarious designs of Rahul Gandhi and his band of ‘rent a cause’ activists. It shows that the truth shines despite the ill intent and malicious efforts of the Congress party and its associates”.
