Government
funds in India are established by central ministries on behalf of the
Government of India for the country’s economic and social well-being. The
primary goal of these government schemes is to address many socioeconomic
issues confronting Indian society. For example, Following the 2012 Nirbhaya
Gang rape case, a dedicated fund called the Nirbhaya fund scheme was established in 2013 with the goal of
implementing initiatives aimed at improving women’s security and safety in
India.
These
government fund schemes are one of the most important areas of preparation for
the UPSC Civil Services Exam. Therefore, let’s discuss one most recent and
important government funds (PM CARES Fund) set up by the Government of India
during the pandemic. The PM Schemes, a crucial static GK topic with regard to
the UPSC or any other competitive examination, cover the PM CARES fund.
About PM CARES Fund
●The Fund is a public charitable trust that
is chaired by the Prime Minister.
●Additional members include the ministers of defence, home affairs, and finance.
●Because of the Fund’s ability to accept
micro-donations, many people will be able to make even the smallest donations.
●The Fund will advance citizen protection
research and strengthen disaster management capabilities.
What is a Public Trust?
The
definition of a trust is the transfer of property from a settlor to a trustee,
who manages the property for the benefit of another (section 3 of the Indian
Trust Act of 1882).
In India,
there are two different kinds of trusts: private trusts and public trusts.
●The Indian Trusts Act of 1882 regulates
private trusts.
●The Charitable and Religious Trust Act of
1920, the Religious Endowments Act of 1863, the Charitable Endowments Act of
1890, and the Bombay Public Trust Act of 1950 all regulate public trusts as
well as charitable and religious trusts.
●According to Section 2(15) of the Income
Tax Act, a “charitable purpose” is defined as providing assistance to
the poor through any means, including education, medical care, or other objects
of public value.
PM CARES Fund Objectives
A public
charitable trust known as the PM CARES Fund has been established with the goal
of helping those affected by Coronavirus COVID-19 emergent situations. A
special national fund called PM CARES was established to fight terrible
emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic in India. This fund’s main goal is to
handle upcoming emergencies or difficult circumstances.
Objectives
of the PM CARES Fund include:
●A public health emergency or any other
emergency, calamity, or distress of any kind, whether caused by a natural
disaster or by human action, should be addressed and supported in any way
possible. This includes building or maintaining healthcare or pharmaceutical
facilities or other necessary infrastructure, providing funding for pertinent
research, or providing any other form of assistance.
●To provide the impacted population with
financial assistance, grants or payments of money, or to take any other actions
that the Board of Trustees may deem necessary.
●To engage in any activity that is not in
conflict with the aforementioned objects.
Constitution of the PM CARES Trust
●The ex-officio Chairman of the PM CARES
Fund is the Prime Minister of India. Ex-officio Trustees of the PM CARES Fund
include the Indian government, the ministers of defence, home affairs, and
finance.
●The Prime Minister, who serves as the
Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, has the authority to propose three
nominees for the Board of Trustees who should be distinguished figures in the
fields of scholarship, science, medicine, social work, public administration,
law, and philanthropy. Any person chosen to serve as a Trustee must do so
without compensation.