G Kishan Reddy donates Rs 1 crore and 1 month's salary to PM CARES fund

Union Minister for State Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy on Wednesday contributed Rs 1 crore from his Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD) fund and his one month salary to the PM CARES fund launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Additionally, Kishan Reddy has also pledged Rs 50 lakhs to Telangana CM Relief Fund and Rs 50 lakhs to Hyderabad District to fight COVID -19.

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On March 29, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had urged the MPs to forward consent letters to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation towards utilising a sum of Rs 1 crore or more from their MPLAD (Member of Parliament Local Area Development) funds and supplement government's efforts to fight the global pandemic.

A large number of people including businessmen, sports authorities and Bollywood actors have come forward and contributed to the PM CARES fund. The Fund was created on March 28 following the COVID-19 outbreak in India, to combat, contain the disease and similar pandemic like situations in the future.

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The PM CARES Fund

With India battling the Coronavirus pandemic which has ensnared the globe in a vice-like grip, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set up a charitable trust where citizens, corporates, organisations and just about anyone else can contribute funds towards the relief effort. The fund is called the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund and is being called PM CARES Fund. The PM is the Chairman of this trust, with the Defence Minister, Finance Minister and Home Minister other members.

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There are a number of ways to donate to the fund, one of which is via a bank transfer, and donations will be exempted from income tax under section 80(G). As per PM Modi, the fund will also cater to other distressing situations, if they occur in the times ahead.  

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases have surged to 1,637 in India, including 1,466 active cases, 133 cured/discharged/migrated people and 38 deaths.

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(With inputs from ANI)