---
title: "Lack of Disclosures for PM CARES Fund Since 2023 Prompts Transparency Debate"
url: https://projectchintan.com/article/lack-of-disclosures-for-pm-cares-fund-since-2023-prompts-transparency-debate-8ym5u
publisher: Project Chintan
author: Project Chintan Newsroom
section: India
published: 2026-07-30T13:26:54.000Z
modified: 2026-07-30T15:01:56.028Z
language: en-IN
---

# Lack of Disclosures for PM CARES Fund Since 2023 Prompts Transparency Debate

Audits for the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) Fund remain unreleased for the post-2022-23 period. Critics argue the fund's exclusion from the Right to Information Act prevents necessary oversight of public and corporate contributions.

## Key takeaways

- No audited financial statements for the PM CARES Fund have been published for any period after the 2022-23 financial year.
- The fund held a closing balance of ₹6,283.68 crore as of March 31, 2023, with total historical spending reaching approximately ₹7,900 crore.
- Despite being chaired by the Prime Minister, the fund is managed as a private trust exempt from CAG audits and RTI disclosures.
- Transparency advocates warn that the use of public sector CSR funds without parliamentary oversight creates a significant accountability gap.
- Current spending has targeted ventilators, oxygen plants, and vaccine procurement, but post-2023 allocations remain undisclosed.

## Current Financial Status and Historical Spending

Data regarding the PM CARES Fund has not been updated since the 2022-23 financial year. The most recent available audit records for that period show the trust ended March 31, 2023, with a closing balance of ₹6,283.68 crore. During that fiscal year, the fund reported voluntary contributions of ₹909.64 crore against total payments of ₹439.38 crore. Since its inception in March 2020, the fund has directed approximately ₹7,900 crore toward emergency health infrastructure and pandemic relief.

Major expenditures documented in previous audits include:
- ₹2,146.6 crore for 50,000 domestically manufactured ventilators.
- ₹1,703.15 crore for the installation of PSA oxygen plants.
- ₹1,393.45 crore for COVID-19 vaccine procurement.
- ₹1,000 crore for migrant welfare during national lockdowns.
- ₹346 crore for the PM CARES for Children scheme to assist orphans.

## The Debate Over Accountability and Disclosure

Founded as a public charitable trust, the PM CARES Fund is chaired by the Prime Minister in an ex officio capacity, with the Finance, Home, and Defence Ministers serving as trustees. Despite this leadership structure, the Central government maintains that the trust is not a public authority. This classification places the fund outside the jurisdiction of the Right to Information (RTI) Act and prevents audits by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). Instead, financial reviews are conducted by M/s SARC & Associates, a private auditing firm.

Anjali Bhardwaj, co-convenor of the National Campaign for People’s Right to Information, warns that the current opacity mirrors the risks seen in the electoral bonds system. She notes that public sector undertakings contributed thousands of crores under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) provisions, effectively using public money without parliamentary scrutiny. Former Central Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi argues that because legal trustees are public servants, the fund's activities should be entirely open to the public.

## Legal Framework and Revenue Sources

The PM CARES Trust deed, registered on March 27, 2020, specifies that the fund relies solely on voluntary donations rather than budgetary support. To encourage contributions, the government granted 100% tax deductions under Section 80G and allowed donations to count toward mandatory CSR targets for corporations. Additionally, an exemption under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) enables the fund to accept international donations. While the Prime Minister may nominate three additional eminent persons as trustees, they all serve on a pro bono basis. Analysts remain concerned that the retrospective amendment of corporate rules and the continued withholding of audit statements for the 2023-24 cycle hinder democratic accountability.

Source: The Hindu — National

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Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/lack-of-disclosures-for-pm-cares-fund-since-2023-prompts-transparency-debate-8ym5u
Reported from: The Hindu — National