Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for donations to the newly instituted PM-CARES Fund, which he said, has been formed on popular demand to help fight the novel coronavirus.
In a series of tweets, Mr. Modi said, “People from all walks of life expressed their desire to donate to India’s war against COVID-19. Respecting that spirit, the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund has been constituted. This will go a long way in creating a healthier India,” he said.
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He also said the fund will cater to “similar distressing situations if they occur in the times ahead”.
As per a PIB statement, the fund will be a public charitable trust under the name of ‘Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund’. The Prime Minister is the Chairman of this trust and members include the Defence Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister. There is already a Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for identical purpose.
This fund was instituted in 1948 by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, to assist displaced persons from Pakistan. The fund is currently used primarily to tackle natural calamities like floods, cyclones and earthquakes. The fund is also used to help with medical treatment like kidney transplantation, cancer treatment and acid attack.
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Mr Modi said PM-Cares Fund accepts micro-donations too. “It will strengthen disaster management capacities and encourage research on protecting citizens. Let us leave no stone unturned to make India healthier and more prosperous for our future generations,” he said.
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Published - March 28, 2020 05:37 pm IST
