Paramilitary forces donate Rs 116 crore to PM-CARES Fund to fight coronavirus

The paramilitary personnel of the country have donated Rs 116 crore from their one-day salary to the newly set up PM-CARES fund to fight COVID-19, Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday.

In a Twitter message, the minister stated that the paramilitary personnel have always contributed for the security and unity of the country.

"On the call of Prime Minister, all jawans of paramilitary have contributed their one day of salary (Total Rs 116 crore) in PM-CARES fund. I express gratitude to everyone," he said.

India has a 10 lakh-strong paramilitary force guarding its borders as well as the internal security.

The Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-CARES Fund) is a public charitable trust with the prime minister as its chairman. Its members include the defence minister, home minister and finance minister.

The trust has been set up keeping in mind the need for having a dedicated national fund with the primary objective of dealing with any kind of emergency or distress situation, like the one posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide relief to the affected, a statement from the government had said.

"The pandemic of COVID-19 has engulfed the entire world and has posed serious challenges for the health and economic security of millions of people worldwide. In India too, the spread of coronavirus has been alarming and is posing severe health and economic ramifications for our country," it had said.