2 weeks ago
Dipke Urges PM CARES Funds for Schools, Audit Transparency
Abhijeet Dipke says money in the PM CARES Fund should help fix government schools.
He says many rural schools lack safe buildings, toilets, taps, benches and drinking water.
The fund held ₹8,452 crore on March 31, 2025.
Dipke estimates that this could pay for more than 1,000 model schools.
His campaign showed poor conditions at schools in Maharashtra.
Economist Prasenjit Bose wants more information about the fund’s donors and spending.
He says the fund was created for emergencies and natural disasters, not education.
Congress also questioned a payment involving Indian Oil Corporation.
The articles do not resolve the audit and payment allegations.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke urged the Centre to use the PM CARES Fund to improve rural schools and build more than 1,000 model schools.
The fund had a balance of ₹8,452 crore as of March 31, 2025, including ₹7,846 crore in fixed deposits and ₹605 crore in savings accounts.
Dipke’s School Thik Karo campaign highlighted poor roads, broken doors, inadequate toilets, missing taps and other infrastructure problems at schools in rural Maharashtra.
Economist Prasenjit Bose questioned why only one page of the latest audit report was disclosed and sought details about ₹479 crore in domestic donations.
The Congress alleged that PM CARES records showed a ₹189.4 crore payment to Indian Oil Corporation, while the company’s annual report recorded ₹103.27 crore received.
- Who
- CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, economist Prasenjit Bose, the Congress and the Centre are central to the dispute.
- What
- Dipke called for PM CARES money to improve rural schools, while critics questioned the fund’s audit disclosures, spending and alleged payment discrepancy.
- Where
- The school conditions discussed included a school in Kadoli village, Maharashtra; the fund-related questions concern India.
- When
- The statements were reported on Wednesday; the cited audit figures cover the year ending March 31, 2025, and the fund was established in 2020.
- Why
- Dipke cited poor school infrastructure, while Bose and Congress sought greater transparency about the fund’s donations, expenses and payments.
Critics and Opposition
Government Position and Fund Purpose
Use of the funds
Critics and Opposition
Dipke said money held in PM CARES should address poor school infrastructure and education needs. Bose said idle funds could instead support recurring emergencies such as floods, cyclones and heatwaves.
Government Position and Fund Purpose
The government has maintained that PM CARES was established for national emergencies and natural disasters, while Bose acknowledged that education has separate ministries and budgets.
Audit transparency
Critics and Opposition
Bose questioned why only one page of the latest audit report was shared and sought details about donors and expenses. Kerala Congress alleged that the fund was kept private to avoid scrutiny by the Comptroller and Auditor General.
Government Position and Fund Purpose
The articles state the fund’s emergency purpose but do not provide a government response to the specific demands for greater disclosure or the allegations about audit oversight.
Indian Oil Corporation payment
Critics and Opposition
Congress alleged that PM CARES records listed a ₹189.4 crore payment for liquid oxygen equipment, compared with ₹103.27 crore shown in Indian Oil Corporation’s annual report, and called for further auditing.
Government Position and Fund Purpose
The articles contain no response from the government or Indian Oil Corporation explaining the alleged difference.
Key facts
- PM CARES balance
- ₹8,452 crore as of March 31, 2025, compared with ₹7,173 crore a year earlier.
- Fund holdings
- ₹7,846 crore was held in fixed deposits and ₹605 crore in savings bank accounts.
- Dipke’s proposal
- Use the fund to improve rural schools and build more than 1,000 high-tech model schools.
- Estimated school cost
- Dipke estimated that one model school would cost approximately ₹8 crore.
- Reported spending
- PM CARES spent ₹87.85 lakh during 2024-25, including ₹87.8 lakh on the PM CARES for Children Scheme.
- Domestic donations
- The fund reportedly received ₹479 crore in domestic donations during fiscal year 2024-25.
- Payment discrepancy alleged by Congress
- Congress said PM CARES records showed ₹189.4 crore paid to Indian Oil Corporation, while the company’s annual report showed ₹103.27 crore received.
Quotes
Abhijeet Dipke
Founder of the Cockroach Janta Party
“On one hand, Rs 8,500 crore is lying unused and on the other hand we see that the children of this country are crying for a good road to school, for good benches in school and for drinking water in school. So, why are we not using this money for the schools of these children?”
freepressjournal.in
“So, if one school costs Rs 8 crore, then in Rs 8,500 crore, more than 1,000 new high-tech model schools could be built.”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
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