In the view of several people wanting to contribute to fight against the coronavirus outbreak in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, 28 March, announced that a public charitable trust under the name of Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES) has been set up.
PM Modi further mentioned that the fund will be used for similar “distressing situations” if at all they take place in the future.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in India soared to 873 on Saturday. The Union Health Ministry put the death toll at 19.
The objective of the national fund is to deal “with any kind of emergency or distress situation, like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide relief to the affected” Prime Minister is the chairman of this trust and its members include defence minister, home minister and finance minister.
The PM-CARES Fund will accept micro-donations as well. Modi, on his official Twitter handle shared the bank details of the account where people who want to contribute can send the money.
The money can also be transferred via digital payment apps including Amazon Pay, PayTM, Google Pay, BHIM, among others. The donations can be made through credit cards, debit cards, internet banking.
IAS Association to Contribute 21 Lakhs
Soon after the announcement, the IAS Association has decided to contribute Rs 21 lakhs to the PM-CARES Fund as its initial contribution to tackle the spread of coronavirus.
“All members to contribute at least a day’s salary also. We shall leave no stone unturned to ensure that we win this fight against COVID-19,” the association’s tweet read.
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