PM Cares Fund: A Pitfull to the RTI Act

Author – Shravani Gupta, Student at University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun

Best Citation – Shravani Gupta, PM Cares Fund: A Pitfull to the RTI Act, ILE JOURNAL OF GOVERNANCE AND POLICY REVIEW, 1 (1) of 2023, Pg. 44-50, ISBN – 978-81-961791-0-6.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted the establishment of the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) Fund to receive donations and distribute aid. In this article, I have tried to answer questions such as how is PM care a public authority ?  And, how has RTI played an important role in maintaining the secrecy of PM Care Fund. Further a lot of landmark cases have been discussed and the constitutionality of it is also discussed in great depth. Not sharing the information with public is infringement of Article 19(1)(a). Contributions to these funds are not considered CSR under Schedule VII of the 2013 Companies Act. And, the discriminatory provisions of the PM CARES Fund are a major problem which are dealt in this article. The CSR donations are taken away from the state government or the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. At the end the article tries to conclude that how the government is trampling on democratic ideals and the faith of taxpayers by withholding pertinent information concerning PM CARES Fund.

Keywords- PM Care Fund, COVID-19, Relief, Public Authority, Citizen.