In its first meeting on Thursday, the new Union Cabinet approved a Rs 23.123 billion package to bolster emergency health infrastructure in the country to fight the Covid-19 pandemic after the second wave of infections.
Meanwhile, in a visible change in attitude, the cabinet also appealed to farmers to end their months of protest against the centre’s agricultural laws and to come to talks with the government.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya briefed the media on the cabinet decisions, saying the cabinet had approved a package worth Rs.23.123 billion to help states improve their emergency health infrastructure.
The center and the state governments will both contribute to this fund. Rs 8,000 crore will come from the states and the rest from the center.
The health minister said last year the government had released an emergency package worth Rs.15,000 billion to address the challenges of the pandemic. He said it was due to this package that 8,338 dedicated Covid health centers are now available nationwide.
“The number of oxygen-assisted beds has increased from about 50,000 to 4.73 lakh today. We have held consultations with states to meet their medical oxygen needs,” he said.
Regarding the new package, Mansukh Madaviya said its usage will be monitored centrally with digital tools.
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“In 736 districts, pediatric care units are being set up to better diagnose and treat Covid-19 in children. Of the 20,000 intensive care beds that will be set up with this package, 20 percent will be reserved for children, which is an increase in cases, emergency field hospitals are being set up, “he said.
To reduce the emergency need for medical oxygen, oxygen storage systems with a capacity of 10,000 liters will be built in the states over the next nine months.
“1 billion drugs are being made available at the district level to prepare the country for future waves of Covid-19 infections,” the minister said, adding that the package would be implemented over the next nine months.
Cabinet clears Rs 1 lakh crore for Agri Infra and calls on farmers to end the protest
Aside from health, the cabinet has too approved Rs 1 lakh crore to strengthen infrastructure related to agriculture Sector through the APMCs.
“It was previously said that the APMCs will be strengthened. Efforts are being made to provide more resources to the APMCs. Rs 1 lakh crores allocated to the Farmers Infrastructure Fund under Atmanirbhar Bharat can be used by APMCs,” said Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.
He added that once the new farm laws are implemented, APMCs will not be closed.
“Once the agricultural laws are implemented, APMCs will receive several million rupees from the center’s infrastructure fund, which will strengthen them and make them useful to more farmers,” he said.
Commenting on the ongoing protest from the farmers, the minister said: “My message to the farmers is that the government will keep all its promises. The APMCs will not be demolished, but rather strengthened laws, they can come to us with any other solution. We’ll talk to them. “
ALSO READ | Will not repeal farm laws, ready to discuss other options with farmers, says Narendra Singh Tomar
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