Govt releases Rs 6\,195 crore to 14 states to support fight against coronavirus

Govt releases Rs 6,195 crore to 14 states to support fight against coronavirus

This was the third equated-monthly installment of the post devolution revenue deficit grant as recommended by the 15th Finance Commission

The grants would provide states additional resources during the coronavirus pandemic

The central government on Wednesday disbursed Rs 6,195 crore to 14 states as monthly installment for boosting their financial resources meant for containing  coronavirus outbreak and treating affected people. This was the third equated-monthly installment of the post devolution revenue deficit grant as recommended by the 15th Finance Commission.

"The government on June 10, 2020, released Rs 6,195.08 crore to 14 states as the third equated-monthly installment of the post devolution revenue deficit grant as recommended by the 15th Finance Commission," the Office of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a tweet.

The fund would provide them additional resources during the corona crisis, it added.

The government released a similar amount as the first and second installment on April 3 and May 11, respectively, to 14 states - Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. The fund has been released under Disaster Management Relief Fund and revenue deficit grant to financially empower them.

This fund is to be utilised for setting up quarantine facilities, sample collection and screening, setting up additional testing laboratories, meeting the cost of consumables, purchase of personal protection equipments (PPEs) for healthcare, municipal, police and fire authorities, and purchase of thermal scanners, ventilators and air purifiers.

In April, the central government had allotted Rs 17,287 crore to states to enhance their financial resources during the COVID-19 crisis. Of this, Rs 6,195.08 crore was released on account of revenue deficit grant to 14 states, while remaining Rs 11,092 crore to all states as an advance payment of the Centre's share of the first installment of State Disaster Risk Management Fund (SDRMF) for setting up quarantine facilities and arranging other facilities for checking the spread of coronavirus.

By Chitranjan Kumar