Centre to give Rs 11,092 cr to states to fight coronavirus

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday released Rs 11,092 crore to states under State Disaster Risk Management Fund to make additional funds available for taking preventive and mitigation measures to control COVID-19 spread.

The approval came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured Chief Ministers during a video conference to review the measures taken to contain the spread of the virus.

The Centre has released in advance its share of the first installment of State Disaster Risk Management Fund for 2020-21 with a view to augment funds available with the state governments. The SDRMF is exclusively for mitigation projects.

On March 13, the Centre had allowed the states to draw money from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) after bringing the virus spread under its ambit. The funds were allowed to be used for setting up quarantine facilities, sample collection and screening; setting up additional testing laboratories, cost of consumables; purchase of personal protection equipments for healthcare, municipal, police and fire authorities; purchase of thermal scanners, ventilators, air purifiers, and consumables for Government hospitals.

As migrant workers' exodus turned big, the Centre on March 28 also allowed states to take money from SDRF for providing food and shelter to homeless people including migrant labourers, who are stranded due to lockdown measures.

"The Central Government, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, is extending all necessary support to the States in a timely manner to deal with an unprecedented global crisis which is declared to be a “pandemic” by World Health Organization," an official statement said.