VIJAYAWADA: The State Cabinet, which met at the Secretariat on Friday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, gave its nod to bring in an ordinance to meet expenses in the first quarter of Financial Year 2020-21. The ministers also discussed the steps being taken and those needed to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Details of the ordinance will be revealed once it is approved by the Governor, Information and Public Relations Minister Perni Venkataramaiah (Nani) said, adding that the government opted for an ordinance as it is not possible to convene the Budget session of the Assembly in the wake of the pandemic.
The minister said the Cabinet discussed strengthening the healthcare system and the measures implemented so far. It was decided to allocate `2 crore as an emergency fund to each of the 13 district collectors for use on coronavirus-related issues.
Further, a task-force with five ministers, 10 senior IAS officers and four officials from the CMO will be formed to coordinate with district-level teams of ministers and officers and get State-level feedback, the minister said.
“We have traced 28,000 foreign returnees, and all of them and their contacts are being monitored. Four hospitals — one each in Vijayawada, Vizag, Tirupati and Nellore — have been converted into dedicated super-specialty COVID-19 hospitals, while 100-bedded isolation centres have been set up at the constituency level, and 200-bed isolation centres at the district level,” he said.
According to the minister, about 400 ventilators are available, and personal protective equipment, surgical masks for patients’ attendants, besides N95 masks, are available as required. More equipment is expected to be delivered in a couple of days.
‘Naidu indulging in politics’
Responding to TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu question on how the number of foreign returnees to AP rose from 13,000 to 28,000, minister Perni Venaktaramaiah (Nani) accused him of indulging in politics in this hour of crisis.