PM CARES Fund Reports Significant Increase in Donations for 2024-25, Spending Only a Fraction of Received Amount

PM CARES Fund Sees Significant Increase in Donations, Raises Questions Over Spending

The PM CARES Fund experienced a substantial increase in donations, with contributions jumping by 592% to reach ₹480 crore in the 2024-25 fiscal year. However, reports indicate that only 0.1% of this amount has been utilized for relief efforts.

Opposition parties, notably the Congress, have expressed concern over the funds management, criticizing the government for spending a mere 0.01% of the total contributions, which raises questions about the funds efficacy in addressing public needs. Recent audit reports highlight that during the 2023-25 period, the PM CARES Fund received ₹1,162.92 crore but spent only ₹16.47 crore.

As of March 31, 2025, the fund reportedly has a total corpus of ₹8,452 crore, having earned interest exceeding ₹470 crore. Yet, expenditures remain low, with only ₹87 lakh utilized so far. This discrepancy has led to increased scrutiny and calls for transparency in the funds operations.

Established in March 2020 as a public charitable trust to manage funds for combating the COVID-19 pandemic, PM CARES has been a focal point of discussion regarding the allocation and effectiveness of relief funds in India. Critics continue to urge the government to clarify the funds objectives and ensure that the donations are put to effective use.