Plea in Supreme Court seeks directions to utilise PM Cares Fund to procure COVID-19 vaccine, install oxygen plants in 738 district hospitals

A Supreme Court lawyer has moved the top court seeking directions to utilise PM Cares Fund to procure COVID-19 vaccine, and install oxygen plant/ generators for 738 district hospitals where medical services are available free of cost for COVID-19 patients.. The petitioner, advocate Viplav Sharma also prayed that Members of Parliament (MP) and Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) of of all States should be directed to spend their MP/MLA funds "in a disciplined manner with full transparency to best serve their respective constituency. .Sharma further urged the Court to direct the Central and State governments to ensure that all the private/ charitable hospitals within their respective jurisdiction/administration procure, install and commission facilities to provide medical grade oxygen to its patients..Sharma stated that owing to complete denial by the hospitals to admit COVID patients, many were left in the lurch when they faced lack of oxygen, vaccine, medical treatment and other essentials..Sharma, therefore, requested the Court to direct that PM Cares Fund be utilised to install oxygen plants / generators at public health facilities in 738 government hospitals which are easily accessible to masses.The plea also took exception to the April 24 notification issued by the Central government to the extent it capped the exemption from import duty granted to medical equipment, for a period of three months. .Sharma contended that three month time period “is too short a period from the standpoint of logistics involved in importing these highly sophisticated medical equipment in India by over 300 concerned notable Hospitals throughout the country.”.The PIL also urged the court to direct States to set up electric and other crematoriums in all cities and also maintain and improve the condition of existing electric crematoriums. .In August 2020, the Supreme Court had given its stamp of approval to the PM Cares Fund, rejecting a plea seeking direction to transfer money collected under the PM CARES Fund set up for COVID-19 relief to the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF)..More recently, a petition was filed before the Delhi High Court to declare the PM CARES Fund a "State" under Article 12 of the Constitution of India.Another petition to declare PM CARES a "public authority" under the Right to Information (RTI) Act is also pending before the Delhi High Court.