Bhupesh Baghel asks Centre to return CSR donations made by C'garh industrialists to PM CARES fund

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday asked the Centre to return CSR donations made by industrialists of his state to the PM CARES fund, saying the money "is ours...of the people of the state".

In an interview to PTI, he also said the country has a right to know about the donations in the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) fund.

The assertion comes days after Baghel went public with details of contributions made to the chief minister's relief fund.

Country has the right to know about PM CARES fund. They (people) should know. There is nothing to hide anything on it, he said.

Baghel said he has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that donations to the PM CARES fund have been made by industrialists of the state as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

I have told the PM that the money is of Chhattisgarh. It is ours. It is of the people of the state. Give that money to us so that we can take decisions for their benefit and welfare, he said.

Going public with the details of donations made in the chief minister's relief fund, Baghel on Monday said Rs 56.4 crore has been received in it between March 24 and May 7 by commercial and social organizations, firms, government staff and citizens.

On Wednesday, the PM CARES fund trust decided to allocate Rs 3,100 crore for the fight against COVID-19.

The PM CARES fund was set up in late March, with the primary objective of dealing with any kind of emergency or distress situation, like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide relief to the affected.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday demanded an audit of the PM CARES fund and said the account of money received in it and spent be made public.