Business

PM-CARES Fund to foot over 80% cost of 1st phase of Covid vaccination drive

PTI

The PM-CARES fund, which has been set up to provide relief during the coronavirus pandemic, has contributed over `2,200 crore for the first phase of vaccination drive, which is looking to inoculate frontline healthcare workers, the Expenditure Secretary said on Tuesday.

 Set up in March 2020, the exact collections made by the fund through voluntary contribution by individuals and corporates, are not known but the corpus managed by the PMO has been providing relief to pandemic-hit sectors.

With the Budget for the current fiscal, which was presented before the onset of the pandemic, making no separate allocation for vaccination, more than 82 per cent of the cost of the same during January to March is being borne by the PM CARES Fund.