K'taka govt sanctions Rs 50,000 to each gram panchayat for COVID management

The Karnataka government on Friday approved an allocation of Rs 50,000 to every Gram Panchayat in the state from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) released for COVID management to address local issues.

"We had a detailed meeting with MPs and MLAs today. In SDRF funds, Rs 2.33 crores have been released for COVID management. Every Gram Panchayath will be given Rs 50,000 to address local issues. An approval to construct 20 KL oxygen tank and 1,500 LPM oxygenator has also been given in the meeting," said Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.

Yediyurappa added there is no problem in administering the second dose vaccines to people as the state will get a bulk stock on Saturday which will be distributed accordingly.

On developing hospital infrastructure, he said: "We are ready to take all suitable decisions to develop infrastructure in the district hospital. I have appointed Regional Commissioner Aditya Amlan Biswas as Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS) administrator and he will start working tomorrow itself."

Karnataka has given approval to start RT-PCR testing centre in Belgaum's Chikkodi.

"We have formed a committee, if they (private hospitals) charge hefty bills, we will take action against them and Health Minister K Sudhakar is looking into it," Yediyurappa said.

At present, Karnataka has as many as 2,86,819 active COVID-19 cases.

( With inputs from ANI )