Fresh financial details related to the PM CARES Fund show that its overall corpus increased during the 2024-25 financial year even as contributions from domestic and overseas donors declined. According to figures cited from the fund's audit report, the total balance stood at ₹8,452 crore as of March 31, 2025, with the overwhelming majority of the money parked in fixed deposits.

The latest numbers also provide a clearer picture of how contributions to the fund have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic and how much was spent during FY 2024-25.

PM CARES Fund Balance Reaches ₹8,452 Crore

As of March 31, 2025, the PM CARES Fund had a total balance of approximately ₹8,452 crore. This was higher than the ₹7,173 crore reported a year earlier.

Of the total amount, around ₹7,846 crore was held in fixed deposits, while approximately ₹605 crore was maintained in savings bank accounts.

This means roughly 93% of the available corpus was placed in fixed deposits at the end of the financial year.

Domestic Contributions Decline in FY 2024-25

One of the notable trends reflected in the figures is the decline in domestic donations.

During the 2024-25 financial year, the fund received approximately ₹479 crore in domestic contributions. In comparison, domestic donations stood at around ₹681.8 crore in the previous financial year.

This represents a decline of roughly 30% year-on-year.

The drop becomes even more significant when compared with the early years of the fund. Domestic contributions had surged during the COVID-19 period before declining substantially in subsequent years.

In 2020-21, domestic donations were reported at approximately ₹7,184 crore. They fell to ₹1,896 crore in 2021-22 and declined further to around ₹909 crore in 2022-23.

By FY 2024-25, domestic contributions had dropped to about ₹479 crore.

Foreign Donations Also Fall Sharply

Contributions received from overseas donors have followed a similar downward trend.

Foreign donations during FY 2024-25 stood at approximately ₹92.8 lakh, compared with around ₹1.13 crore in 2023-24. This translates into a decline of about 18%.

The difference is considerably larger when compared with the pandemic period.

Foreign contributions were around ₹495 crore in 2020-21. They declined to approximately ₹40 crore in 2021-22 before dropping to ₹2.57 crore in 2022-23.

The latest figure of ₹92.8 lakh therefore represents a sharp reduction from the levels recorded during the peak of the pandemic.

How Much Did PM CARES Spend in 2024-25?

The latest financial details also indicate a significant decline in payments made from the fund during FY 2024-25.

Around ₹87.8 lakh was spent under the PM CARES for Children Scheme during the financial year. Overall payments from the fund during 2024-25 were reported at approximately ₹87.85 lakh.

This was substantially lower than the previous financial year. In 2023-24, around ₹15.37 crore was spent on the PM CARES for Children Scheme, while total payments from the fund were approximately ₹15.6 crore.

The figures suggest that expenditure during FY 2024-25 was considerably smaller than in earlier periods, particularly the pandemic years when large sums were deployed for emergency healthcare requirements.

How PM CARES Money Was Used During the Pandemic

The PM CARES Fund was established to provide financial support during emergencies and distress situations. Its role became particularly prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic, when healthcare infrastructure faced unprecedented pressure.

Large allocations were made for medical equipment and infrastructure, including oxygen generation facilities and ventilators.

According to the figures cited in the report, ₹1,703 crore was allocated for oxygen plants in 2021-22, while around ₹835 crore was used for ventilators.

These expenditures were aimed at strengthening medical facilities during a period when hospitals across the country faced high demand for oxygen and critical-care equipment.

Donations Have Fallen, but the Corpus Has Increased

The latest data presents two contrasting trends. On one hand, fresh donations—both domestic and foreign—have declined sharply compared with the pandemic years. On the other, the overall balance of the PM CARES Fund increased from approximately ₹7,173 crore to ₹8,452 crore by March 31, 2025.

Another significant feature of the financial position is the way the corpus is being held. With around ₹7,846 crore placed in fixed deposits, nearly 93% of the total balance was parked in FDs, while the remaining ₹605 crore was held in savings bank accounts.

At the same time, expenditure during FY 2024-25 remained limited, with total payments of around ₹87.85 lakh.

The latest financial figures therefore show that while the pace of fresh contributions has slowed considerably since the pandemic, a substantial corpus continues to remain available in the PM CARES Fund, with most of it held in fixed deposits.