PMO’s Directive on PM CARES and Relief Funds

• 11 Feb 2026

Source: IE  

Why in News?  

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) informed the Lok Sabha Secretariat that questions regarding the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES Fund), the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF), and the National Defence Fund (NDF) are inadmissible in the Lok Sabha.  

• The PMO argued that these funds are financed through voluntary public contributions and do not draw from the Consolidated Fund of India, placing them outside the direct concern of the Government of India, and cited Rule 41(2)(viii) and Rule 41(2)(xvii) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha to support this position.

Note: Rule 41 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha allows Members of Parliament to ask questions to Ministers to obtain information on matters of public importance that are within their special cognizance.  

• Rule 41(2)(viii): Questions should not relate to matters not primarily the concern of the Government of India. 
• Rule 41(2)(xvii): Questions should not deal with bodies not primarily responsible to the Government of India.

What is a Question in the Parliamentary Context? 

• About: A "Question" is a powerful tool used to hold the Government accountable.  It is an inherent parliamentary right that allows members to elicit information on administration, government activities, and policy decisions. 
  • Generally, the first hour of a sitting of Lok Sabha is devoted to the Questions and this hour is called the Question Hour.  
• Types of Questions: 

Type	Description	Key Feature
Starred Question	A question for which the member desires an oral answer in the House.	Distinguished by an asterisk (*). Allows supplementary questions to follow.
Unstarred Question	A question for which a written answer is desired.	Deemed laid on the Table. No supplementary questions can be asked.
Short Notice Question	Relates to a matter of urgent public importance.	Can be asked with less than 10 days' notice (shorter than the usual minimum) for oral answer by a Member.
Question to Private Member	Addressed to a Member who is not a Minister.	Subject matter must relate to a Bill or Resolution for which that specific Member is responsible.

 

• Admissibility of Questions: Not every question submitted by a member is accepted. The Speaker of Lok Sabha has the final authority to decide admissibility based on Rules 41 to 44 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, along with Direction 10A issued by the Speaker, past precedents, rulings from the Chair, and established parliamentary conventions. 
  • Conditions for Admissibility: To be admitted, a question must satisfy strict criteria, including: 
    • Public Importance: It must relate to a matter of public importance within the special cognizance of the Minister.  
    • No Irony or Defamation: It cannot contain arguments, ironical expressions, or defamatory statements. 
    • No Repetition: It should not repeat questions already answered. 
    • No Secret Matters: It cannot seek information on secret Cabinet discussions or advice given to the President. 
    • Not Sub-Judice: It cannot ask about matters currently under adjudication by a court of law. 
  • Grounds for Disallowance (Direction 10A): A question may be rejected if it: 
    • Encourages divisive tendencies affecting national unity. 
    • Relates only to day-to-day administration or individual interests. 
    • Falls under the jurisdiction of other bodies like the Chief Election Commissioner or Courts.

Can a Government Body Preemptively Block Questions? 

According to parliamentary experts, the PMO's blanket directive is procedurally highly unusual. 

• Case-by-Case Basis: Decisions on admissibility are traditionally taken on the merits of the individual question rather than banning entire subjects (like a specific fund) preemptively. 
• Standard Procedure: Typically, if a ministry finds a specific question problematic (e.g., due to national security), it requests the Secretariat to disallow that specific question, rather than issuing a general directive against a topic. 
• Criticism: Critics argue that the PMO’s stance undermines parliamentary oversight and transparency, amounts to executive interference in the functioning of the Lok Sabha, and weakens Parliament’s role in holding the government accountable for funds closely linked to the Prime Minister and public donations.

What are the PM CARES Fund, the PMNRF, and the NDF? 

PM CARES Fund 

• About: It is a public charitable trust. It was set up specifically to raise funds for dealing with national emergencies, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, and to provide relief to the affected. 
• Funding: It consists entirely of voluntary public contributions and does not get budgetary support from the Consolidated Fund of India. 
• Transparency Status: The government maintains it is not a public authority under the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005. Its status under the RTI Act is contested and is currently sub judice. 

PMNRF 

• About: It was established in 1948 by then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Its purpose is to assist displaced people (refugees) migrating from Pakistan during the Partition of India. 
• Its resources are now primarily used to provide immediate relief to families of those killed in natural calamities (floods, cyclones, earthquakes), and to victims of major accidents and riots. 
• Funding: Like PM CARES, it accepts only voluntary public contributions. 
• Transparency Status: Its status under the RTI Act is contested and is currently sub judice. 

National Defence Fund (NDF) 

• About: This fund is used exclusively for the welfare of members of the Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force) and their dependents (para-military forces are also often included). 
• Administration: It is administered by an Executive Committee, with the Prime Minister as Chairperson. 
• Funding: It relies on voluntary contributions from the public. 
• Transparency Status: NDF is covered under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

1. What is Question Hour in the Lok Sabha? 
Question Hour is the first hour of a Lok Sabha sitting during which Members ask questions to seek information and hold the government accountable.

2. What are the main types of questions in Parliament? 
Parliamentary questions include Starred Questions (oral answers), Unstarred Questions (written answers), Short Notice Questions (urgent matters), and Questions to Private Members.

3. Who decides the admissibility of questions in the Lok Sabha? 
The Speaker of the Lok Sabha decides admissibility, based on Rules 41–44, Direction 10A, precedents, and parliamentary conventions.

4. What are the key conditions for a question to be admissible? 
A question must relate to a matter of public importance, fall within a Minister’s responsibility, be precise, and not involve sub judice matters, secrets, or defamatory content.

5. On what grounds can a question be disallowed under Direction 10A? 
A question may be disallowed if it affects national unity, concerns day-to-day administration, or falls under the jurisdiction of constitutional authorities or courts. 

6. Are PM CARES and PMNRF covered under the RTI Act? 
Their status under the RTI Act is contested and currently sub judice, while the government maintains they are not public authorities.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs) 

Q. The Parliament of India exercises control over the functions of the Council of Ministers through (2017)

1. Adjournment motion 
2. Question hour 
3. Supplementary questions 

Select the correct answer using the code given below: 

(a) 1 only 

(b) 2 and 3 only 

(c) 1 and 3 only 

(d) 1, 2 and 3 

Ans: (d)