Government releases emergency funds for states to fight Covid-19

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The Ministry of Finance has released the first instalment of Rs 8,873.60 crore for State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) in advance in view of the serious public health situation caused by the rapid spread of the coronavirus.</p>
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According to a statement by the Finance Ministry on May 1, up to 50 per cent of the SDRF amount can be used by the states for Covid-19 containment measures.<br />
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States can use Rs 4,436.80 crore of the SDRF funds for meeting the cost of oxygen generation and storage plants in hospitals, ventilators, air purifiers, strengthening ambulance services, COVID-19 hospitals, Covid Care Centres, consumables, thermal scanners, personal protective equipment, testing laboratories, testing kits, containment zone, etc.<br />
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The statement says: "As a special dispensation, the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance at the recommendation of Ministry of Home Affairs has released in advance of the normal schedule the 1st instalment of the Central Share of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for the year 2021-22 to all the States. An amount of Rs 8873.60 crore has been released to the States."<br />
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The statement says that under normal circumstances, the first instalment of SDRF is released in the month of June on the recommendations of the Finance Commission. However, in relaxation of normal procedure, not only has the release of SDRF been advanced, the amount has also been released without waiting for the utilization certificate of the amount provided to the states in the last financial year.<br />
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The second wave of coronavirus has engulfed India as the last 24 hours reported over four lakh cases of coronavirus across the country. This is the biggest number that India has witnessed till now. The country also saw 3,523 coronavirus-related deaths on the day when the government opened up vaccination to its entire adult population.</p>