As Covid Cases In Punjab Surge, Capt Amarinder Seeks Liberal Fiscal Package From PM
Amid surge in Covid cases and 50% revenue decline for the first quarter of this fiscal in Punjab, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday sought from Prime Minister Narendra Modi a liberal financial package for states to fill the collection gap caused by the pandemic, and also flexibility on Covid-related terms of expenditure in SDRF.During a Video Conference meet of the Prime Minister with chief ministers of some states to review the Covid situation, Captain Amarinder said the current cap of 35% in State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) for Covid related expenditure, as per MHA guidelines, is not sufficient to meet the current requirements.
Expressing concern over the state’s mortality rate of 2.4%, Captain Amarinder said though it was lower than the all India deaths per million and 91% of the fatality cases were with co-morbidity, it was still higher than neighbouring Haryana. Patients were coming to hospitals late and 86% deaths were occurring in tertiary hospitals, he added.Captain Amarinder also requested immediate operationalisation of Covid testing and treatment at AIIMS Bathinda, where OPDs are already functional, and said this will be useful for the people of southern Punjab. Noting that PGI Chandigarh is a premier tertiary care facility for Punjab, he also sought increase in the bed capacity at the hospital and strengthening of the existing PGI Satellite Centre at Sangrur, especially for COVID treatment. The Chief Minister further urged the Centre for immediate commencement of work on the newly sanctioned PGI Satellite Centre at Ferozepur. While of the three already sanctioned need medical colleges, Mohali Medical College will start classes this year, more such institutions were needed, said the Chief Minister, requesting for new colleges in the aspirational districts of Gurdaspur, Sangrur/ Malerkotla, as well as Moga. COVID has shown that we need to strengthen public facilities in health, he added.Giving an update on the Covid situation in the state, Captain Amarinder Singh said it had seen cases go up from 500 to 1000 in 2 weeks, with positivity rate of the last 5 days at 8.73%. The majority of cases were coming from Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Patiala cities, though cases were increasing in all districts, he added. The number of micro-containment zones were being increased in high incidence districts like Ludhiana, Patiala and Jalandhar, he said.To augment its fight against Covid, the state has opened two Plasma Banks (in Patiala and Amritsar), with another set to open soon at GMC Faridkot, the Chief Minister informed the meeting.
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