Coronavirus: Centre directs states to release funds for additional medical facilities

In a bid to expand the medical facilities in India, the Centre on Tuesday has asked all state governments to deploy funds to establish additional medical facilities to boost the medical infrastructure of the country, according to a press release. It added that additional facilities including hospitals, clinical labs, isolation wards should be set up by these funds. Apart from this the Centre also directed the states to upgrade and expand existing facilities and ensure all facilities are sufficiently equipped with ventilators, personal protective equipment (PPE), masks and drugs to treat the patients.

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Centre issues directive to states

MASSIVE: Modi govt tells states to transfer funds in construction workers' accounts by DBT

Earlier in the day, the union government provided relief to India's informal sector amid the Coronavirus lockdown. Santosh Kumar Gangwar, MoS Ministry of Labour and Employment, has issued an advisory to all states & UTs to transfer funds in the account of construction workers through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) mode from the cess fund collected by the Labour Welfare Boards. Prior to the Centre's announcement, several states have already announced monetary relief to daily wage workers.

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Coronavirus crisis in India

As of date, 492 positive cases have been reported of the pandemic Coronavirus (COVID-19) with Maharashtra reporting the highest at 106. Nine deaths have been reported till date. India has suspended all visas and barred travel from Afghanistan, Philippines, EU, UK, China, Malaysia and mandatory 14-day quarantine from several other countries and shut down over 32 states and Union territories.

India has also closed the India-Pakistan border and restricted passenger movement at the border with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar.  The government is monitoring all suspected cases and issued preventive advisories with states declaring the disease an epidemic shutting down all educational institutions, monuments, parks, gyms, swimming pools, pubs and banning large gatherings. All domestic airplanes and trains have ceased operation. Visit the official government here: MINISTRY OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE