Govt steps aims to bring down viral caseloads in 10 days: Tamil Nadu CM

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Wednesday exuded confidence in reducing the viral caseload and bringing the COVID-19 pandemic under control within 10 days, if the people extended their full cooperation to his government's initiatives.

He asserted that the state and central governments had spent over Rs 10,000 crore towards relief and mitigation activities to contain the spread of Coronavirus in Tamil Nadu.

"Much depends upon the complete cooperation from the people in breaking the chain of Coronavirus transmission as no vaccine has been found so far," he said.

He was addressing reporters at the collectorate here after chairing meetings with small and medium scale entrepreneurs, farmers and officials.

Already there are indications that the cases are on the decline in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu and the virus cases will gradually decrease further in the next ten days owing to the stringent measures being taken by his government, he said.

"Tamil Nadu is the only state in India to do maximum tests for Covid-19.

Over 42,000 persons were tested on Tuesday alone.

Aggressive testing through about 600 fever camps in Chennai and door verification carried out on a daily basis by over 30,000 workers had helped to bring down the Coronavirus cases in the capital city," he said.

Similar measures are being followed in other parts in the state to reduce the infections, he added.

Listing out the various measures initiated by the AIADMK government to extend relief and virus prevention activities, Palaniswami said the state government alone had spent Rs 6,000 crore so far.

The central schemes like the Jan Dhan Yojana, transfer of Rs 2,000 to each farmer in the state under PM Kisan scheme and essential commodities provided by the Centre have also helped mitigate the difficulties of the people.

"Even during this crisis and testing time imposed due to the pandemic, my government has permitted all agriculture related and other livelihood activities.

On the industrial front too, yesterday the Cabinet has permitted a firm to invest Rs 600 crore, providing jobs to about 2,925 youths, to manufacture electric vehicles in Hosur (in this district)," the chief minister said.

He further added a project undertaken by his government will facilitate irrigation activities in 3,400 acres in Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts, greatly benefiting the farmers.

Around 4.18 lakh migrant workers have been sent home, he said in an apparent reference to the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

To a question on the Opposition extending "full cooperation" to the government's measures to curb the spread of the virus, the chief minister said "they are only issuing daily statements," indicating there was no desired cooperation from them.