Odisha enhances contingency fund corpus to Rs 2,000 crore to tackle COVID-19
A proposal in this regard made by the states financedepartment was approved at the cabinet meeting here chaired byChief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
As there is no budgetary provision for the fundsrequired for the pandemic situation, the cabinet approved theproposal to raise the contingency fund corpus fivefold,Odisha Chief Secretary A K Tripathy said.
He said the fund will be utilised to meet the urgentand emergent needs for containment management and preventivemeasures.
An ordinance will come into force in this regard asOdisha Legislative Assembly is not in session, Tripathy said.
The cabinet also discussed expansion of corona testingfacility in the state.
Health and Family Welfare Minister N K Das said it hasbeen decided to start coronavirus testing at MKCG MedicalCollege Hospital in Berhampur from April 12, at VIMSAR inBurla from April 15 and at IGH in Rourkela from April 17.
Besides, the cabinet has also approved a proposal topurchase ICMR recognised COVID-19 rapid testing kits, thestate chief secretary said, adding that one lakh rapid testingkits will be purchased soon so that more COVID-19 tests can beconducted.
He said the cabinet has approved a ratificationproposal in Epidemic Act-1897, through an ordinance.
As per the ordinance, the amount of punishment hasbeen enhanced in the Act, he said.
Every offence shall be considered cognizable andbailable. The maximum punishment will be 2 years ofimprisonment or a fine of Rs 10,000 or both, Tripathy said.
With the cabinet's approval of ratification in OdishaCOVID-19, 2020 regulations, wearing masks in public places hasbecome compulsory and a fine up to Rs 500 shall be imposed fornot wearing a mask, he said.
Meanwhile, a 100-bed dedicated COVID-19 hospital hasstarted functioning in the hostel of Centurion University inGajapati District from Thursday.
With this, the number of beds in COVID-19 hospitals atCuttack, Jajpur, Keonjhar (Joda), Puri, Rourkela along with 2hospitals in Bhubaneswar have reached 1,597, said thegovernment's COVID-19 spokesman Subroto Bagchi.
Bagchi said the police from April 8 to 9 haveregistered 251 cases for violations regulations and guidelinesrelated to COVID-19.
Out of the 251 cases, 239 cases were for violation oflockdown norms, five cases for rumour-mongering and seven forother issues.
As many as 258 people have been arrested in 24 hours,he said.
So far, 60 cases have been registered in the state forrumour-mongering, Bagchi said.
Bagchi also said till 9 am on Thursday, 2,841 sampleshave been tested of which 44 have tested positive for COVID-19.
Two persons have already been cured and discharged,while one patient has died.
He said the state currently has 41 active cases, while106 people are under hospital isolation. AAM SKNSBN SBN