States can now use 50% of state disaster relief fund, cap of 35% removed, PM Modi says in meeting on Covid-19 with chief ministers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held a digital assembly with chief ministers of seven states the place the coronavirus illness (Covid-19) caseload is greater. He appreciated the efforts being made by the states to test the unfold of the illness and likewise annonced growing the cap on the quantity they will spend from the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF).

“Today, I announce that the states can spend 50 per cent of the SDRF amount on efforts to check the spread of Covid-19. This limit was earlier 35 per cent,” PM Modi mentioned.

He additionally emphasised that micro zones must be shaped for efficient administration of the coronavirus illness.

PM Modi additional highlighted the significance of masks and mentioned it’s a crucial instrument in battle towards Covid-19.

“We need to increase our focus on effective testing, tracing, treatment, surveillance and clear messaging,” mentioned PM Modi.

“Effective messaging is also necessary because most Covid-19 infections are without symptoms. In such a situation, rumours may rise. It might raise doubts in the minds of the people that testing is bad. Some people also make mistake of underestimating the severity of infection,” he added.

The Prime Minister mentioned that India has mentioned that India has ensured the availability of life-saving medicines all around the world even in troublesome instances. “We have to work together to see that the medicines easily reach from one state to another,” he additional mentioned.

The states with excessive Covid-19 caseload are Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Punjab. The Union well being ministry mentioned that greater than 63 per of the energetic instances within the nation are concentrated in these states.

They additionally account for 65.5 per cent of the overall confirmed instances and 77 per cent of the overall deaths, a press release had mentioned earlier.