BS RAWAT
The Union Health Ministry has issued a circular to all its hospital directors saying it will deduct five days salary of all its employees to contribute to the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES Fund) created to fight the COVID-19 outbreak.

“The Prime Minister has made an appeal to all citizens to generously donate in the PM CARE Fund. Hence in partial supersession of the Ministry’s referred letter dated March 27, 2020, it has been decided with ministry’s approval, that 5 days salary of employees under MOHFW shall be remitted to aforesaid ‘PM CARES Fund,’ the circular reads.

“It may be noted that donations to this fund will be exempted from Income Tax,” the circular says.

The central government has set up the PM CARES Fund, a public charitable trust, to aid in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the chairman of the trust and its members include the home minister, Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh and finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman.