*Loot Maar Raj and a Flagship Venture* *Disclosure of Info Strictly Prohibited* *New Definition of Transparency*
Apart from soliciting funds by Union Government websites and high officials and directing government and PSU workers to contribute, even (central) laws were tweaked to ensure/encourage flow of funds: I. A. <'Companies Act amended to make PM CARES Fund eligible for CSR contributions' at < https://www-dnaindia-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.dnaindia.com/business/report-companies-act-amended-to-make-pm-cares-fund-eligible-for-csr-contributions-2826152/amp >. B. 'CSR conflict: Why PM-Cares is ok, but not CM-Cares?' at <"CSR conflict: Why PM-Cares is ok, but not CM-Cares?' at < https://www-financialexpress-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.financialexpress.com/industry/csr-conflict-why-pm-cares-is-ok-but-not-cm-cares/1930920/lite/ >. II. 'Ordinance issued to make PM CARES donations tax free' at < https://m-economictimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/ordinance-issued-to-make-pm-cares-donations-tax-free/amp_articleshow/74923420.cm >. And this is what <https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/about-pm-cares-fund/> informs: *Keeping in mind the need for having a dedicated national fund with the primary objective of dealing with any kind of emergency or distress situation, like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide relief to the affected, a public charitable trust under the name of ‘Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund’ (PM CARES Fund)’ has been set up*. "Set up" by whom!??? *In the wake of the developments in the Delhi High Court, Opposition leaders raised concerns over transparency. The court was hearing a petition asking that the fund be declared a “public authority” under the Right to Information Act.* *CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted a picture of the government order from April 2020 asking government servants to donate a day’s salary per month till March 2021 asking, “If the PM-CARES Fund is not government’s fund, then how are such orders issued?”* *Mr. Yechury said that this outright loot should be stopped and the fund must be audited and made accountable.* *Jairam Ramesh, a senior Congress leader and party Chief Whip in the Rajya Sabha, said: “A fund managed by the PM, of the PM and for the PM. A fund carrying the Prime Minister’s title is not a government fund? What a joke and what an insult to public intelligence”.* *Mr. Ramesh said that it was incomprehensible why the fund could not be subjected to an audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, if indeed as per the government’s own claim, the fund maintained transparency.* *“The fact is that where the funds come from and how they are spent are totally opaque,” he added*. (Excerpted from: < https://www-thehindu-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.thehindu.com/news/national/opposition-parties-call-for-greater-transparency-over-pm-cares-fund/article36663557.ece/amp/ >.) Also relevant: *An affidavit has been filed on behalf of the PM-CARES Fund Trust before the Delhi High Court, claiming that it is a public charitable trust and that it is not created by or under the Indian Constitution or any other statute, and the amount received by it does not go in the Consolidated Fund of India.* *The affidavit filed by the Under Secretary at Prime Minister's Office states that there is no control of either the Central Government or the State Government in the functioning of the PM CARES Trust.* *The development comes in plea seeking declaration that PM CARES Fund is "State" under Article 12 of the Constitution.* (Excerpted from: < https://www-livelaw-in.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.livelaw.in/amp/news-updates/pm-cares-funds-no-public-authority-no-control-of-govt-delhi-hc-182269 >.) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/greenyouth/CACEsOZhR-vzqZWyOqyzDOeAk5U4vZ-WynYjYuoT8U%3DjEtnWEVw%40mail.gmail.com.
