Now Reading: PM CARES corpus hits record Rs 8,452 crore, spending at Rs 87.85 lakh
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PM CARES corpus hits record Rs 8,452 crore, spending at Rs 87.85 lakh
The PM CARES Fund's corpus reached a record Rs 8,452 crore as of March 31, 2025, while spending in 2024-25 was just Rs 87.85 lakh, according to audited accounts published on its website. Nearly 93% of the corpus is in bank fixed deposits. The accounts, the first disclosure since 2022-23, were signed in August 2026, over a year after the year ended.
Times Now reports that RTI experts Venkatesh Nayak and Shivanand Dwivedi say the one-page statement falls short of public accountability. Nayak argues the fund, created as a public charitable trust, functions like a private trust and should be under RTI and CAG audit. Dwivedi says a large corpus is not irregular but wants greater transparency and institutional oversight.
The New Indian Express, in an editorial, says there is no suggestion that the reserve size is a concern itself, but adds that more transparency and context on sources of contributions and auditor observations would strengthen public confidence. The fund's trustees are the PM and the ministers of defence, home and finance.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Times Now foregrounds RTI experts' criticism that the fund lacks public accountability despite receiving over Rs 2,000 crore from PSUs via CSR. The New Indian Express editorial takes a balanced tone, calling the reserve size unobjectionable but urging fuller disclosure to build trust. Neither outlet challenges the fund's legality, but Times Now's sourcing frames the story as a transparency deficit, while the Express frames it as an opportunity for improvement. A careful reader should note that both agree on the need for more detailed public information, the difference is one of emphasis on failure versus potential. Watch for whether the government releases more granular data or a CAG review.
Coverage: 2 sources, 1 government-critical, 1 neutral
Sources (2): timesnownews.com (government critical), newindianexpress.com (neutral report)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Methodology and corrections.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
