Prime Minister of India: Difference between revisions

The [[National Defence Fund]] (NDF) was set up the Indian government in 1962, in the aftermath of [[Sino-Indian War|1962 Sino-Indian War]]. The prime minister acts as chairperson of the fund's executive committee, while, the ministers of defence, finance and home act as the members of the executive committee, the finance minister also acts the treasurer of the committee. The secretary of the fund's executive committee is a [[Joint secretary to Government of India|joint secretary]] in the prime minister's office, dealing with the subject of NDF.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/national-defence-fund/|title=National Defence Fund|website=Prime Minister of India, [[Government of India]]|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref> The fund—according to its website—is "entirely dependent on voluntary contributions from the public and does not get any budgetary support.". Donations to the fund are 100% tax-deductible under section 80G of the ''[[Income Tax Act, 1961]]''.<ref name=":10">{{Cite news|url=http://www.zeebiz.com/personal-finance/news-heres-how-you-can-avail-tax-deduction-under-section-80g-34774|title=Here's how you can avail tax deduction under Section 80G|date=10 January 2018|work=[[Zee Business]]|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thequint.com/news/india/whatsapp-asking-for-funds-for-the-army-is-not-a-hoax-but-is-is-also-not-entirely-true-indian-army-clarification|title=The Army Welfare Fund That You Might Think is a Hoax, But Isn't|last=Malhotra|first=Hansa|date=12 June 2018|work=[[The Quint]]|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref>

[[File:Sardar patel (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Vallabhbhai Patel]] was the first [[Deputy Prime Minister of India]].]]

The post of [[Deputy Prime Minister of India]] is not technically a constitutional post, nor is there any mention of it in an Act of the parliament.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/of-deputy-chief-ministers-and-the-constitution/article3632410.ece|title=Of Deputy Chief Ministers and the Constitution|last=Rajendran|first=S.|date=13 July 2012|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=5 April 2018|publisher=[[The Hindu Group]]|location=[[Bangalore]]|issn=0971-751X|oclc=13119119}}</ref> But historically, on various occasions, different governments have assigned one of their senior ministers as the deputy prime minister. There is neither constitutional requirement for filling the post of deputy PM, nor does the post provide any kind of special powers.<ref name=":2" /> Typically, senior cabinet ministers like the [[Minister of Finance (India)|finance minister]] or the [[Minister of Home Affairs (India)|home minister]] are appointed as Deputy Prime Minister. The post is considered to be the senior most in the cabinet after the prime minister and represents the government in his/her absence. Generally, deputy prime ministers have been appointed to strengthen the coalition governments. The first holder of this post was [[Vallabhbhai Patel]], who was also the home minister in Jawaharlal Nehru's cabinet.