Around one crore rupees has been spent by the authorities in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district for purchase of masks, sanitizers and oxy-meters during COVID-19, even as payments over Rs five crore for boarding and lodging of the patients and people amid pandemic remains pending, as per official figures.
The figures from Budgam Deputy Commissioner’s Office show a total Rs 7.50 crore rupees were allocated to the district on account of the pandemic, including Rs 50 lakh under disaster management and seven crore rupees for COVID19. Out of the total budgetary allocation, the district has received five crore rupees for COVID19.
While, documents show Rs 96.81 lakh were spend to purchase COVID-19 related equipments including masks, sanitizers, PPE kits and Oxy meters, an amount of Rs 5,64,52,000 of hotels and private buildings for boarding and lodging of COVID-19 quarantined patients until August this year, remains pending.
A payment of Rs 3,16,57,000 lakh has been made to hotel and other private building owners by the district’s administration, as per official figures.
The documents show 32 government as well as private administrative quarantine centres with capacity of 1000 beds have been kept operational in the district. Besides, eight COVID19 wellness centres with capacity of 965 beds and six COVID19 (level II) hospitals with capacity of 420 beds have been kept operational on account of COVID19.
The information has been revealed by the district’s deputy commissioner’s office following a RTI application filed by a rights activist MM Shuja.