SC reserves order on plea for transferring funds collected in PM CARES to NDRF

Supreme Court reserved its order on Monday on a plea, which has said all money collected under PM CARES Fund for COVID-19 pandemic should be transferred to National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Centre, told a bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan that PM CARES Fund is a "voluntary fund" while funds to NDRF and SDRF are made available through budgetary allocations.

Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for petitioner NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), said y are t doubting bonafide of anyone but creation of PM CARES Fund is allegedly in contravention of provisions of Disaster Manment Act.

He claimed that an audit of NDRF is being conducted by Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) but government has said audit of PM CARES Fund will be done by private auditors.

Supreme Court has reserved its order on issue raised in petition regarding transferring money collected under PM CARES Fund to NDRF.

On June 17, apex court had asked Centre to file its response on plea, which has sought a direction that all contributions made by individuals and institutions for COVID-19 pandemic should be credited to NDRF, rar than to PM CARES Fund.