The PM CARES fund, launched in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been at the center of controversy since its inception. The fund is shrouded in secrecy and remains far from public scrutiny. It is neither audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), nor does it fall under the ambit of the Right to Information Act, which undermines transparency and accountability. Opposition leaders and transparency rights activists have repeatedly raised questions about its secretive nature and the purpose it serves.
However, despite the criticism, three-time Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains unmoved, and details related to the fund have not been disclosed by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for the past two years. After the Supreme Court declared Electoral Bonds illegal, questions have resurfaced about the PM CARES fund, with activists concerned about its potential misuse. In this episode of Defending Democracy, Shabbir Ahmed examines how the PM CARES fund evades transparency and accountability.