PM-CARES to fund 500-bed makeshift COVID care hospitals in Bihar's Patna & Muzaffarpur

In a significant development, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Monday announced that the PM-CARES will fund 500 bed COVID-19 makeshift Hospitals in Bihar's Patna & Muzaffarpur. This will go a long way in improving COVID care in Bihar.

The 500-bed hospital at Bihta, Patna will be inaugurated on August 24 and the other 500-bed hospital at Muzaffarpur will be inaugurated very soon, the date has not been disclosed yet.

Each of these hospitals have 125 ICU beds with ventilators and 375 normal beds. Each bed also has the necessary oxygen supply. The doctors and paramedical staff will be provided by the Armed Forces Medical Services.

The hospitals to be built in north Bihar will be on the lines of the facility set up by the DRDO in Delhi, which caters to coronavirus patients. 

Supreme Court's verdict

This development comes just days after the Supreme Court delivered its verdict in the petition seeking transfer of PM CARES Funds to National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) dismissing the plea and upholding that the money from the fund cannot be directed to be deposited or transferred to the NDRF.

The petitioner NGO 'Centre for Public Interest Litigation' (CPIL) stated that they weren't doubting the bonafide of anyone but the creation of the PM CARES Fund itself which was allegedly "in contravention of provisions of the Disaster Management Act". The plea also raised questions on the audit of the PM CARES Fund which the Centre announced would be done by private auditors.

The main argument presented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, was that the PM CARES Fund was a "voluntary fund" while funds to the NDRF and SDRF were made available through budgetary allocations and parliamentary approvals.

The opposition especially Congress had questioned the authenticity of the establishment of the funds and demanded it to be merged with the PM National Relief Fund. Congress has even criticised the Apex Court's verdict on the issue with leaders such as P Chidambaram and Randeep Surjewala calling the SC Judgement a 'blow to transparency and accountability of government to people'. 

What is PM CARES Fund?

Called the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund, this charitable trust was set up by the Centre on March 28. While PM Modi is the Chairman of this trust, the Defence Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister are the other members. All citizens including individuals, corporates, and organizations can contribute to this fund to augment the relief efforts in the wake of the novel coronavirus crisis.

The donation to PM CARES fund is exempted from Income Tax under Section 80(G). Additionally, PM Modi specified that the fund would not only cater to similar situations in the future but would also help strengthen disaster management capacity. One can donate via bank transfer, UPI, Debit and Credit Cards, and Internet banking. 

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