Om Birla lauds Staff of House for contributing to PM CARES Fund as India battles COVID-19

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday appreciated the officers and staff of the House, who have contributed their one day's salary to PM-CARES fund. Contributing to the efforts to tackle novel Coronavirus crisis in the country, the Lok Sabha Secretariat employees had pledged to donate their one-day salaries totalling Rs 45 lakh.

The Speaker had on March 29 urged the MPs to forward consent letters to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation towards utilising a sum of Rs 1 crore or more from their MPLAD (Member of Parliament Local Area Development) funds and supplement government's efforts to fight the global pandemic.

Earlier, Om Birla also donated his one month's salary to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund which has been set up to fight the war against the novel Coronavirus. He had previously urged people to exercise caution to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. He asserted that the Parliament supports PM Modi's address to the nation. Om Birla also added that the entire world is battling with the COVID-19 crisis and India is also making all its possible efforts.

People from different walks of life, including businessmen and Bollywood actors, paramilitary force and politicians have been donating in the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM-CARES) fund created to help the central government meet the corona crisis.

READ: COVID-19: Meenakshi Lekhi donates to PM CARES Fund, urges people to follow suit & tag her

READ: COVID-19: Satya Nadella’s wife donates Rs 2 cr each to PM CARES & Telangana CM Fund

PM CARES Donation Fund

With India battling the Coronavirus pandemic which has ensnared the globe in a vice-like grip, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set up a charitable trust where citizens, corporates, organisations and just about anyone else can contribute funds towards the relief effort. 

The fund is called the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund and is being called PM CARES Fund. The PM is the Chairman of this trust, with the Defence Minister, Finance Minister and Home Minister other members.

There are a number of ways to donate to the fund, one of which is via a bank transfer, and donations will be exempted from income tax under section 80(G). As per PM Modi, the fund will also cater to other distressing situations, if they occur in the times ahead.  

Meanwhile, the total number of coronavirus cases in India stood at 1,637 on Wednesday, after 386 new positive cases were reported from yesterday till now.

READ: PM Modi thanks ONGC for chipping in Rs 300 Cr to PM CARES fund as India battles COVID-19

READ: COVID-19: Lakshmi Mittal announces contribution of Rs 100 cr to PM CARES Fund