Amit Shah defends PM-CARES, alleges PM NRF under UPA was headed by Cong President
Amit Shah on Tuesday rubbished the Opposition allegations on lack of transparency in the PM-CARES Fund, stating that unlike the National Relief Fund during UPA rule, which had Congress president as a member, the PM-CARES Fund has the cabinet committee on security with ministers to decide the disbursement on the advice of five top secretaries.
Shah was replying to the debate on the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Rajya Sabha. The bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha in the last winter session, was approved by the Upper House on Tuesday.
The home minister said disaster management is based on four pillars of transparency, responsibility, efficiency and synergy as he refuted apprehensions of any discrimination against states in disbursement of their share of disaster management funds, saying it is not meant for financing the freebies announced by the governments.
The amended act will not harm the federal structure, he underlined.
Taking on the Opposition on the oft-repeated charge that the source of funds donated and the expenditure of the PM-CARES Fund is opaque and accounts not shared with the public, Shah said, “During Congress governments, the PM National Relief Fund was controlled by one family. The Congress president was a member of the fund.
But in PM-CARES, the PM, home minister, defence minister and the finance minister are members.” He added that in future if the parties in Opposition come to power, the same composition will hold.
The Union minister further stated that a committee headed by the PM’s principal secretary and comprising five top secretaries decides the quantum of funds to be released for any disaster and it is then approved by the CCS. PM-CARES Fund gave money for vaccination