NEW DELHI, India — The latest audit data on the PM CARES Fund shows that its corpus increased to Rs 8,452.07 crore by March 31, 2025, marking the latest publicly reported financial position of the fund after a gap of several years. The figures show that a major portion of the corpus was held in fixed deposits with scheduled banks, while payments during the 2024-25 financial year remained relatively small.
- Corpus at March 31, 2025: Rs 8,452.07 crore.
- Fixed deposits: Rs 7,846.65 crore was held in scheduled bank fixed deposits, accounting for about 93% of the corpus.
- Investment income: Fixed deposits generated Rs 469.38 crore in interest, while savings accounts generated Rs 5.77 crore.
- 2024-25 payments: The fund spent Rs 87.85 lakh during the year, mainly on the PM CARES for Children Scheme, according to the supplied data.
PM CARES Fund Corpus Reaches Rs 8,452.07 Crore
The latest financial figures place the PM CARES Fund corpus at Rs 8,452.07 crore at the close of the financial year 2024-25. The balance is substantially higher than the Rs 7,173.03 crore reported for 2023-24.
The new figures are significant because the financial information has been released after an interval of several years. The data provides a fresh picture of the fund’s corpus, investments, income from interest, donations and payments during the year.
According to the supplied information, the fund’s reported balance was Rs 7,173.03 crore in 2023-24. By March 31, 2025, it had reached Rs 8,452.07 crore.
Where Is the PM CARES Fund Money Invested?
Fixed deposits account for the largest component of the reported corpus. The latest figures show that Rs 7,846.65 crore was invested in fixed deposits with scheduled banks.
This amount represents approximately 93% of the total reported corpus of Rs 8,452.07 crore. The figures indicate that the majority of the fund’s money was being held in interest-generating bank deposits rather than remaining entirely in ordinary savings accounts.
The fixed deposits also became the biggest source of income reported for the financial year. Interest earned from these deposits amounted to Rs 469.38 crore in 2024-25.
In comparison, income generated through savings accounts stood at Rs 5.77 crore. The difference between the two figures highlights the importance of fixed-deposit interest in the fund’s reported earnings during the year.
PM CARES Fund Donations Fell in 2024-25
The latest figures also provide details about donations received during the financial year. Domestic sources contributed Rs 479.04 crore to the PM CARES Fund in 2024-25.
That figure was lower than the Rs 681.8 crore received from domestic sources during the previous financial year, according to the supplied data. The year-on-year decline means domestic contributions were not at the same level as the preceding year.
Foreign contributions were considerably smaller. The fund received Rs 92.83 lakh from foreign sources during 2024-25.
The donation figures, together with the interest income from fixed deposits, form an important part of the financial picture presented by the latest data.
PM CARES Fund Spending Remained Very Low
One of the most closely discussed figures in the latest data is the amount paid out by the fund during 2024-25. According to the supplied audit information, total payments during the financial year were Rs 87.85 lakh.
The expenditure was mainly associated with the PM CARES for Children Scheme, according to the material provided for this report.
The amount was significantly lower than the Rs 15.37 crore in payments reported for the previous financial year. The latest figure therefore represents a substantial reduction in expenditure compared with the preceding year.
When the Rs 87.85 lakh expenditure is viewed against the reported corpus of Rs 8,452.07 crore, the spending represents only a very small fraction of the total fund balance.
Why the Low Spending Has Triggered Questions
The relatively low expenditure has become a major point of discussion following the release of the latest financial figures. RTI activists and opposition leaders have questioned why such a large corpus remained largely untouched during a year in which several states faced floods and other natural disasters.
Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Pawan Khera has been among those raising questions over the utilisation of the fund. Critics have pointed to the contrast between the size of the corpus and the comparatively small amount reported as payments during 2024-25.
The criticism is focused not only on the amount spent but also on questions surrounding the accessibility of information about the fund and the mechanisms through which its finances are scrutinised.
PM CARES Fund and the RTI Debate
The legal and administrative status of the PM CARES Fund has been a continuing subject of public debate. According to the supplied material, the government’s position has been that the fund is a public charitable trust and does not receive government budgetary assistance.
On that basis, the government has maintained that the fund does not fall within the scope of the Right to Information Act. This position has been challenged by critics and RTI activists, who have sought greater transparency regarding the fund’s operations.
The issue has remained particularly contentious because access to information about the fund has been a central part of the wider debate over its accountability and financial disclosure.
Questions Over CAG Audit and Transparency
Another issue highlighted in the supplied material is the absence of a Comptroller and Auditor General, or CAG, audit. Critics have cited this along with the RTI issue while raising questions about the level of independent public scrutiny of the fund.
The latest audit-related figures have therefore renewed attention on the broader question of how the fund is audited, how its money is invested and how expenditure decisions are disclosed to the public.
These questions should be distinguished from the financial figures themselves. The reported corpus, deposits, interest income, donations and payments are separate matters from the political and legal debate over the fund’s transparency framework.
PM CARES Fund: Key Financial Figures for 2024-25
| Financial Item | Reported Amount |
|---|---|
| Corpus as of March 31, 2025 | Rs 8,452.07 crore |
| Corpus in 2023-24 | Rs 7,173.03 crore |
| Fixed deposits | Rs 7,846.65 crore |
| Interest from fixed deposits | Rs 469.38 crore |
| Income from savings accounts | Rs 5.77 crore |
| Domestic donations in 2024-25 | Rs 479.04 crore |
| Domestic donations in previous year | Rs 681.8 crore |
| Foreign donations in 2024-25 | Rs 92.83 lakh |
| Payments in 2024-25 | Rs 87.85 lakh |
| Payments in previous year | Rs 15.37 crore |
A Numerical Point That Needs Clarification
The supplied material states that the corpus increased by Rs 1,279.91 crore from Rs 7,173.03 crore in 2023-24 to Rs 8,452.07 crore in 2024-25.
However, the arithmetic difference between the two reported corpus figures is Rs 1,279.04 crore, not Rs 1,279.91 crore. The two figures should therefore be checked against the underlying audit report before the stated increase is presented as an independently calculated figure.
This discrepancy does not change the reported corpus figure of Rs 8,452.07 crore, but it is important to flag the calculation difference for accurate publication.
What the Latest PM CARES Fund Data Shows
The latest financial information presents a picture of a fund with a corpus of more than Rs 8,400 crore, with most of the reported amount placed in fixed deposits. Interest from those deposits generated Rs 469.38 crore during the year.
At the same time, domestic donations declined compared with the previous year, while foreign contributions remained below Rs 1 crore. Payments during 2024-25 were also sharply lower than the previous year’s reported expenditure.
These figures have brought the fund’s financial management back into public discussion, particularly around the relationship between its large corpus, investment income, relatively low expenditure and the transparency framework governing the trust.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the PM CARES Fund worth as of March 2025?
The latest supplied audit data puts the PM CARES Fund corpus at Rs 8,452.07 crore as of March 31, 2025.
How much did the PM CARES Fund earn from fixed deposits?
According to the supplied figures, the fund earned Rs 469.38 crore in interest from fixed deposits during the 2024-25 financial year.
What Happens Next?
The latest financial figures are expected to remain a focus of discussion around the utilisation and transparency of the PM CARES Fund. The key areas of attention include the size of its corpus, its fixed-deposit investments, interest income, donations and relatively low payments during 2024-25.
Any further assessment of the fund should be based on the underlying audit documents and official records. Political claims and criticism should be considered separately from the financial figures contained in the audit data.
Source Attribution: This article has been prepared exclusively from the PM CARES Fund audit-related material, financial figures and political/RTI responses supplied for publication. No additional facts, figures or quotations have been added beyond the supplied material.
Praveen Yadav is the Founder and Content Creator of The Nation Bulletin, an independent digital news platform focused on delivering timely, reliable and meaningful news from India and around the world.
