Local bodies get ₹299 crore to combat Covid-19 pandemic

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government has provided ₹ 299 crore to the local rural and urban bodies to meet their urgent needs related to carrying out tests, hiring health staff and purchasing vans among other things which could help them combat Covid-19 pandemic.

The panchayati raj and the urban development departments have made funds available to the local bodies from the grants available to them under the state finance commission after the state government issued a GO to this effect last week. “We have already transferred a total amount of Rs 149.5 crore to the district health committees in all the 75 districts as per the formula fixed by the government. The committees will make the funds available further to rural bodies to fight the pandemic,” a senior panchayati raj official said, adding, “The urban development department is releasing an equal amount to districts health committees for urban local bodies.”

The government has classified the districts in two categories for the purpose of reimbursement of funds. The 37 districts, including

Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Agra and Ghaziabad, put under the ‘A’ category have been given Rs 5 crore each while another 38 districts classified as ‘B’ category districts, have been provided Rs 3 crore funds each.

Committees formed under the chairmanship of the DM will take a call on expenditures from the these funds to meet requirements related to sampling, surveillance, test and RRT, hiring services of contract manpower like doctors, paramedical staff, nurses, lab technicians and sweepers as well as purchasing vans.