Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government on Monday sanctioned Rs 225 crore to the Health and Family Welfare Department to combat Coronavirus aka COVID-19.
The amount was sanctioned from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), said Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Pradeep Jena after the meeting.
The decision was taken at the special meeting of the State Executive Committee chaired by Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy here.
“The fund will be utilised for measures for quarantine, sample collection, screening, including provision for temporary accommodation, food, medical care, etc. for the people sheltered in quarantine camps, cluster containment operations, setting up of additional testing labs and procurement of essential equipment, personal protective gears,” said an official release.
Meanwhile, a 33-year-old youth of Bhubaneswar with travel history to Italy was tested positive for Coronavirus thereby becoming the first such patient in the State.
Earlier the State Government declared the COVID-19 as a disaster for the Odisha and earmarked Rs 200 crore to deal with the situation.
