In a meeting on Wednesday, the newly-nominated trustees of the PM CARES Fund, former Supreme Court judge K T Thomas, former deputy speaker Kariya Munda, and Tata Sons chairman emeritus Ratan Tata, expressed gratitude for those who had “contributed wholeheartedly” to the fund. The trustees, Amit Shah of the Union Home Ministry and Nirmala Sitharaman of the Union Finance Ministry, also attended the meeting.

Anand Shah, the former CEO of Indicorps and the Piramal Foundation, Sudha Murthy, the co-founder of Teach for India, and former CAG Rajiv Mehrishi were all chosen to serve on an advisory board. The Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement, “Trustees appreciated the role played by the fund at a crucial time for the country. PM Narendra Modi appreciated the people of the country for contributing wholeheartedly to the PM CARES Fund.” 

The participation of new trustees and advisers, according to the PM, will give the fund’s operations a wider perspective. The fund would become more responsive to various public needs thanks to “their vast experience,” he claimed.

Discussions about extending PM CARES’s scope also took place. According to the trustees, this programme has a larger vision that includes building capacity and effectively responding to emergencies. The fund currently supports 4,345 children, according to a presentation on the various initiatives carried out with the money.

The PMO states that the trustees’ duties also include preparing and submitting all filings, accounts, and returns as required by applicable law and managing the contribution process to ensure proper application of the trust property.