Activist Saket Gokhale moves SC seeking details of PM Cares Fund

Activist Saket Gokhale has filed an Intervention Application in the Supreme Court seeking to make PM Cares Fund a respondent in the suo moto case on essential supply of drugs and services during the pandemic and seek directions for clarification on its status, link with government and furnish details on money spent towards covid-19.

New Delhi: Activist Saket Gokhale has filed an Intervention Application in the Supreme Court seeking to make PM Cares Fund a respondent in the suo moto case on essential supply of drugs and services during the pandemic and seek directions for clarification on its status, link with government and furnish details on money spent towards Covid-19.

Gokhale contends that the PM Cares Fund was established for dealing with the Covid-19 situation and has collected money from India, overseas and also includes the salaries of government employees. Petitioner says that it uses ".gov.in" in its domain, and uses the national emblem as a part of its logo, both of which are restricted for central or state government but when RTI was filed by him seeking details, PMO had refused to divulge any details stating that it is not a public authority.

Citing an announcement by PM Cares where it said that money is being allocated to Medical Oxygen Generation Plants inside public health facilities but there was no information on the amount released, Gokhale contends that the only information in public domain comes from press releases by PMO and information regarding allocation made towards Covid-19 is unclear. PM Cares had declared that Rs 100 crores were allocated towards vaccine development but there was no information on any additional allocation. In the Apex Court, the Centre had denied any spending towards Covid-19 vaccines.

"The applicant contends that the PM Cares Fund is a non-governmental stakeholder that has been closely involved in decisions and projects that have been closely related to the distribution and supplies in the essential fight against the Covid-19 pandemic albeit through the Government of India. For that particular reason, the applicant contends that the PM Cares Fund must be made a respondent in the present case and asked to submit details on its Covid-19 relief related projects and their present status," read the Intervention Application.