PM CARES fund launched in fight against Covid-19, India asked to donate

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced the creation of a new fund to assist and offer relief to citizens in an emergency situation as the magnitude of the crisis due to the outbreak of coronavirus unfolds. The fund has been named PM-CARES or Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund, and PM Modi invited countrymen from all sections to donate to it in a series of tweets.

“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,” Prime minister’s first tweet said.

PM added that the PM-CARES Fund accepts micro-donations too and that was meant to further 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 tweeted.

Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar was among the first to announce a donation to the fund. PM tagged his tweet where he pledged Rs 25 crore to the cause.

A release from the Press Information Bureau of the government of India said it was done in response to “spontaneous and innumerable requests” for making generous donations to support the government in the wake of the emergency triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.

It outlined the main purpose of the fund as building capacities for emergency response, infrastructure and institutional capacity reconstruction/enhancement and the use of new technology and advance research findings to mitigate the impact of disasters.

“Keeping in mind the need for having a dedicated national fund with the primary objective of dealing with any kind of emergency or distress situation, like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide relief to the affected, a public charitable trust under the name of ‘Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund’ (PM CARES Fund)’ has been set up,” the release added.

Prime Minister has been made the Chairman of this trust and its members include the Defence Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister, it said.

Citizens and organisations can go to the website pmindia.gov.in and donate to PM CARES Fund using following details:

Name of the Account: PM CARES

Account Number: 2121PM20202

IFSC Code: SBIN0000691

SWIFT Code: SBININBB104

Name of Bank & Branch: State Bank of India, New Delhi Main Branch

UPI ID: pmcares@sbi

Following modes of payments are available on the website pmindia.gov.in

Debit Cards and Credit Cards

Internet Banking

UPI (BHIM, PhonePe, Amazon Pay, Google Pay, PayTM, Mobikwik, etc.)

RTGS/NEFT

Donations to this fund will be exempted from income tax under section 80(G).