£310 mn from PM CARES Fund for migrants, vaccine research

Wednesday 20th May 2020 05:31 EDT
 
 

The Central government said it will release £310 million from the PM CARES Fund towards care of migrants workers, purchase of ventilators and support vaccine development for the Covid-19 virus. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has thanked all donors for generous contributions to support India’s fight against the pandemic. The opposition has been alleging lack of transparency in the Fund which was set up in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak. The Trust is headed by the PM with ministers of home, defence, and finance as members.

A government statement said of the total amount to be released, £200 million will be used to purchase 50,000 ‘Made in India’ ventilators to augment India’s healthcare infrastructure; £100 million will be handed over to state governments to provide accommodation, food, medical treatment and transport arrangements for migrant labourers, the worst sufferers of the lockdown; and the rest £10 million to catalyse vaccine development for Covid-19 and will be utilised under the supervision of the Principal Scientific Advisor to the PM.

The government also said states will receive funds in proportion to their population as per 2011 census, and the incidence of corona cases. An equal share of 10% will also be given to all states and UTs to ensure basic minimum sum for all states. The funds will be released to the district collectors through the state’s disaster relief commissioners, the statement said.


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