SDRF spending limit raised to 50%: Modi tells CMs
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting with the Chief Ministers and Health Ministers of seven states and union territories where the number of COVID-19 cases is rising. During the meeting, Modi announced that the limit on the amount that states can spend from their disaster relief funds has also been raised to 50%. Here are more details.
CMs of Maharashtra, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, etc., present
Modi chaired a meeting with the CMs and other officials of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday. According to the Union Health Ministry's data, over 62% of the active coronavirus infections are concentrated in these seven states/UTs. They also account for 65.5% of total infections and 77% of total deaths.
India reports 56.4 lakh cases; over 90,000 deaths
According to the Health Ministry, as of 8 am on Wednesday, India reported a total of 56,46,011 COVID-19 cases, out of which, 9,68,377 are active cases and 45,87,614 patients have been discharged or cured. The death toll is 90,020.
'Over 700 districts in India, only 60 cause of worry'
Speaking during the meeting, PM Modi said, "There are more than 700 districts in the country, but only 60 districts in seven states are a cause of worry." He added, "I suggest the CMs to hold virtual conferences with people at district/block levels for seven days. We have to learn from the best practices from across the states."
India needs to increase focus on effective testing, treatment
Modi said that India needs to increase its focus on effective testing, tracing, treatment, surveillance, and clear messaging. He said that there is no lack of medical oxygen and there must be coordination between the states to ensure that the supply chain remains unobstructed. He also said that the supply of medicines between states should remain smooth.
SDRF spending limit raised from 35% to 50%
Meanwhile, the amount that states can spend from their respective State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) has been raised from 35% to 50%, Modi announced. He also stressed on the importance of face masks, adding that "microzones" should be formed to tackle the disease effectively.
How bad is the outbreak in India?
Throughout September, India has mostly reported single-day spikes of over 90,000 cases. The highest single-day spike of 97,894 cases was recorded on September 17, according to the Health Ministry. In the past two days, the number of fresh infections has dipped. However, there has been a decline in the number of tests conducted, and an upward trend in the positivity rate has been observed.
