New Delhi: The Centre has approved nearly Rs 40,000 crore for prevention of COVID-19 and ramping up health infrastructure, in addition to funds allocated under the National Health Mission.
This was informed by Union Minister of State for Home NityanandRai in LokSabha while replying to a written question of BJP members DilipSaikia and Ramesh ChanderKaushik.
Rai said as informed by the health ministry, the central government has been providing required technical and financial assistance to all states and Union Territories (UTs) for strengthening their healthcare system, including management of the COVID-19 public health challenge, from time to time, and the financial assistance to states and UTs is provided under the National Health Mission (NHM).
During 2019-20, funds to the tune of Rs 1113.21 crore were released to states and UTs towards management of COVID -19, over and above their normal resource envelope under the NHM, he said.
Further, the central government has approved the ‘India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package’ and Rs 15,000 crore was provided under it in April 2020 with an objective to prevent, detect and respond to the threat posed by COVID-19.
The minister said under this package, during 2020-21, funds to the tune of Rs 8,257.88 crore were also released to states and UTs to aid management and control of COVID-19.
In addition, the ‘India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package: Phase-II’ has also been approved by the government for an amount of Rs 23,123 crore — with Rs 15,000 crore as central share and Rs 8,123 crore as state share — for the period July 2021 to March 2022.