Dalai Lama contributes to PM-Cares fund

New Delhi, Apr 27: Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama today announced to make a contribution to the PM-CARES Fund to strengthen India's fight against the alarming COVID-19 surge.

"I have been following the continuing challenge that the COVID-19 pandemic has been posing across the world, including in India, with concern," the Dalai Lama said in a statement.

"At this critical time, during this alarming COVID-19 surge, I have asked the Dalai Lama Trust to make a donation to the PM-CARES Fund as a token of our solidarity with fellow Indian brothers and sisters," he added.

"May I take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation for all the efforts that are being made to tackle this devastating pandemic, especially by those courageously working on the frontline. I pray that the pandemic threat will end soon," the spiritual leader said.

With 3,23,144 people testing positive for coronavirus infection in a day, India's total tally of COVID-19 cases has climbed to 1,76,36,307, while the national recovery rate has further dropped to 82.54 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated today.

The Centre had set up the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) Fund in March 2020 with the primary objective to deal with any kind of emergency situation like the one currently posed by the COVID-19 outbreak and provide relief to those affected.