SPENT ~300 CR ON COVID CARE AND MIGRANTS, AMARINDER ON SAD CHARGE

CHANDIGARH:PUNJAB chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has hit out at the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for questioning the government on Rs 64 crore reserves in the CM Relief Fund for Covid Support.

“The source of financing covid-related expenditure is totally irrelevant. My government has already spent Rs 300 crores on providing Covid care and related expenses. We have done much more,” he said, adding, “The CM Relief Fund being questioned by the SAD has been set aside by my government for emergency purposes, to be used as and when needed.”

The SAD had questioned the government on only Rs 2.28 crore being spent out of CM Relief Fund.

“If the Akalis were at all concerned about covid care in the state, they should ask the Centre why they had failed to support the Punjab government in this critical time,” said the CM

He added Rs 64 crore that the CM fund had was drop in the ocean compared to crores of rupees already spent by his government on infrastructure upgrade, setting up of Covid Care Centres, roping in additional medical and para-medical staff, purchase of PPE kits and other essential equipment.

In addition, the state government had spent Rs 29.5 crore on enabling 5.2 lakh migrant workers to go back to their home states via 398 Shramik Special Trains, the CM added. He also added crores had been spend on food and essential supplies to the poor and marginalised.