PM-CARES fund to provide for 80% vaccine in Phase 1 of Covid vaccination drive

NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM-CARES) Fund, which has been set up to provide relief during the COVID-19 pandemic, has provided over Rs 2,200 crore for the first phase of vaccine drive, which is looking to vaccinate frontline workers, the Expenditure Secretary said on Tuesday, February 2.

Initiated in March 2020, the exact collections made by the fund through voluntary contribution by the individuals and corporate are unknown but the corpus managed by the Prime Minister’s Office has been proving relief to the sectors hit by the pandemic.

Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Finance, Government of India, in her Budget for the next fiscal beginning April 2021 has set aside Rs 35,000 crore exclusively for COVID vaccination.Dr TV Somanathan, Expenditure Secretary, said that the expenditure of vaccination of frontline and healthcare workers in the current fiscal is being borne fully by the central government and the money is coming from PM CARES fund and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).

Dr Somanathan added that for January-March, the inoculation expenditure is expected to be about Rs 2,700 crore approximately. Part of it is coming from the MoHFW, and some part of it is funded from the PM CARES fund. This assessment is for the first round of 3 crore frontline and health workers.