'No relief fund for Delhi': Sisodia urges Centre to not play politics amid a health crisis

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday accused the Centre of being unfair to the national capital in terms of the relief fund allotment that was announced to combat COVID-19 crisis. Lamenting that Delhi has not received a single penny from the total amount of Rs 11,092 crore allotted to all states, Sisodia asked the Centre to not play politics at the time of national disaster.

"At this time when the country is battling COVID-19, and the Delhi Government is working closely with the Centre in combating the epidemic, it was shocking and painful to see that the relief package of Rs 11,092 cr was not provided to Delhi. I appeal to the Centre to not play politics while the country is facing a disaster," Manish Sisodia told ANI. 

Delhi's Deputy CM further said that he has written a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in this regard, and sought the relief fund allotted to each state to tackle the spread of Coronavirus.

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Centre releases Rs 11,092 Cr for States to fight COVID-19

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday approved the release of Rs 11,092 crore to states to set up quarantine facilities and take other measures to contain the spread of novel Coronavirus. Various states have been demanding more Central funds to deal with a surge of COVID-19 infections which has raised pressure on already creaky public health infrastructure. The latest package was released under the first instalment of the State Disaster Risk Management Fund (SDRMF).

The move came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured Chief Ministers that the Centre will provide necessary assistance to states to combat the epidemic. 

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"This Fund was allowed to be utilized for setting up quarantine facilities, sample collection and screening; setting up additional testing laboratories, cost of consumables; purchase of personal protection equipment for healthcare, municipal, police and fire authorities; purchase of thermal scanners, ventilators, air purifiers, and consumables for Government hospitals," an official statement said.

The states can also use this money to provide food and shelter to homeless people including migrant labourers, who are stranded due to lockdown measures. India is in the midst of a three-week nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

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