Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired a virtual meeting with chief ministers of seven states and Union Territories that have the highest number of coronavirus cases in India.
In the meeting, also attended by health ministers, Modi announced that states can use 50% of the State Disaster Relief Fund to rein in the pandemic. The earlier limit was 35%.
More than 63% of the active cases of the country are concentrated in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Punjab, according to a press release by the prime minister’s office.
Modi said states should increase their focus on effective testing, tracing, treatment, surveillance and clear messaging to tackle the health crisis. “Effective messaging is also necessary because most Covid-19 infections are without symptoms,” he said. “In such a situation, rumours may rise. It might…