Report Card: Poor Fiscal Federalism even at the juncture of Pandaemic?

//05 April 2020
The fund was allowed to be utilised for setting up quarantine facilities, sample collection and screening, setting up additional testing laboratories, to cover cost of consumables, and purchase of personal protection equipment (PPE) for healthcare, municipal, police and fire authorities, besides purchase of thermal scanners, ventilators, air purifiers, and consumables for government hospitals.

The fund could also be used for providing food and shelter to the homeless, including migrant labourers stranded due to lockdown measures.//

https://m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/centre-releases-rs-17287-cr-to-states-to-fight-covid-19/amp_articleshow/74973847.cms

//09 April 2020

The bench made the observation on the
plea
 moved by NGO -- India Awake for Transparency -- seeking direction to the state to ensure 100% Covid-19 testing of all persons who were exempt from the lockdown and were performing services involving public contact.

"In the opinion of this court, the fund allotment (to Tamil Nadu) is not adequate, whereas states which have got lesser number of virus infected patients have been allotted more fund. This court is not against the allotment of more funds to other states, but is concerned about Tamil Nadu getting lesser fund. Therefore, the Central government may positively consider increasing the amount," a special bench of Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice R Hemalatha said on Wednesday.//

https://m.timesofindia.com/city/chennai/why-meagre-covid-19-fund-allocation-for-tamil-nadu-asks-madras-high-court/amp_articleshow/75057854.cms

//12 April 2020

“Chief Minister’s Relief Fund or ‘State Relief Fund for COVID-19’ is not included in Schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013 and therefore any contribution to such funds shall not qualify as admissible CSR expenditure,” an FAQ issued by the ministry noted.

The circular added, however, that corporate contributions made to each individual ‘State Disaster Management Authority ‘to combat COVID-19 “shall qualify as CSR expenditure under item no (xii) of Schedule VII of the 2013 and clarified vide general circular No. 10/2020 dated 23rd March, 2020”.

In addition to this, the ministry’s FAQ also notes that India Inc can also count any “ex-gratia payment made to temporary or casual workers” that they employ as CSR expenditure provided it is made for the purpose of fighting COVID-19.//

https://thewire.in/business/corporate-affairst-ministry-csr-pm-cares-cm-relief-fund