PMO Bars Parliamentary Questions on PM CARES, PMNRF, and National Defence Fund: Cites Lok Sabha Rules
NEW DELHI (India CSR)— In a significant development amid ongoing debates on transparency, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has directed the Lok Sabha Secretariat that questions related to the PM CARES Fund, the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF), and the National Defence Fund (NDF) cannot be admitted or discussed in the Lower House of Parliament.
The directive, reportedly issued on January 30, 2026, invokes specific provisions under Rule 41 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha.
The PMO cited Rule 41(2)(viii), which prohibits questions on matters not primarily concerning the Government of India, and Rule 41(2)(xvii), which bars issues involving bodies or persons not primarily responsible to the government.
The core reasoning provided is that these three funds are established solely through voluntary public donations and receive no budgetary allocations from the Consolidated Fund of India. As such, they fall outside the direct purview and accountability mechanisms applicable to government-funded entities.
The PM CARES Fund, formally known as the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund, was set up in March 2020 to address urgent needs during the COVID-19 pandemic, including healthcare support, disaster relief, and emergency interventions.
According to the most recent publicly available audited receipts and payments statement (for FY 2022-23, ending March 2023), the fund maintained a closing balance of approximately Rs. 6,283.7 crore.
Similar in structure, the PMNRF (established in 1948) aids victims of natural disasters, accidents, and other crises, while the NDF focuses on welfare for armed forces personnel and their families, managed by a committee chaired by the Prime Minister.
This move has reignited political controversy, with opposition parties, including the Congress, criticizing it as an attempt to shield these funds from parliamentary oversight.
Critics have long raised concerns over transparency, audit processes, and the rationale for creating PM CARES when PMNRF already existed for similar purposes.
The government has maintained that PM CARES is not a “public authority” under the RTI Act, a position upheld in court rulings, including a 2024 Delhi High Court decision.
No updated financial statements beyond March 2023 appear to have been publicly released on the official PM CARES website, adding to calls for greater disclosure.
This clarification from the PMO effectively categorizes these relief and defence-related funds as non-governmental in parliamentary procedural terms, limiting MPs’ ability to seek detailed information through questions in the Lok Sabha.
Donations to the PM CARES Fund by organisations qualify as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity expenditure under the Companies Act, 2013.
In general, “Corporate Social Responsibility” can be understood as a corporate initiative to evaluate and accept responsibility for the company’s effects on the environment and influence on social welfare.
According to the Companies Act of 2013, businesses must dedicate at least 2% of their annual earnings to CSR initiatives if they have a minimum net worth of Rs 500 crore, a minimum annual revenue of Rs 1,000 crore, or a minimum net profit of Rs 5 crore.
(India CSR)
