Revenue-deficit Nagaland spent Rs 112 cr to address needs for COVID preparedness: CM

Nagaland is a revenue deficit state but despite that the government has spent Rs 112 crore from its own resources to augment health infrastructure and arrange for non-medical interventions following the outbreak of COVID-19, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said on Thursday.

Nagaland is a revenue deficit state but despite that the government has spent Rs 112 crore from its own resources to augment health infrastructure and arrange for non-medical interventions following the outbreak of COVID-19, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said on Thursday. Making a statement on COVID-19 situation in the state in the one-day session of the Assembly, the chief minister also asked people to refrain from stigmatising citizens infected with the virus or the frontline workers who are fighting the pandemic.

Nagaland does not have enough resources but that "has not stopped us from doing whatever we could do for taking all possible steps to combat COVID-19 and to keep our people safe", Rio said. For improving the medical infrastructure and putting in place systems, equipment and manpower, Nagaland has spent more than Rs 62 crore, out of which only about Rs 10 crore came from the central government and other sources, he said.

The state government spent the remaining Rs 52 crore from its own resources, Rio informed the House. He said that the total expenditure on various non- medical interventions such as relief to stranded people, distribution of food to the needy, setting up quarantine centres and related arrangements, and bringing stranded people back stands at around Rs 74 crore.

Of this amount, Rs 14 crore came from the Centre. The chief minister said that the government has taken several measures to mobilise additional revenue, including slashing nonessential expenditure by 15 per cent and levying COVID cess at the rate of Rs 5 and Rs 6 per litre on diesel and petrol respectively.

"We have not only created sufficient testing capacities in record time, but also substantially augmented the number of doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel besides roping in private hospitals to supplement the governments effort in dealing with the crisis," Rio said. The total expenditure taking both the medical and non-medical interventions comes to about Rs 139 crore, out of which the state Government from its own sources has spent about Rs 112 crore, including about Rs 3.35 crore from Chief Minister's Relief Fund, he said.

"Though we had started preventive and preparatory measures from January onwards, we went into a full disaster management mode from March 18, when the provisions of Disaster Management Act, 2005 were invoked in the State," the chief minister said. Since then, the frontline workers doctors, nurses, employees of district administration and municipalities, personnel of the police and other essential services departments - are working 24x7 to deal with multiple challenges brought on by the pandemic, he said.

They functioned in close coordination with tribal Hohos (apex bodies), civil society organisations, Church bodies and countless volunteers who are giving their invaluable services to handle the crisis, Rio said. "We thank them all. The robust response to this challenge by the people of the state once again proves the effectiveness of our community spirit and strength. It also gives us hope that no challenge is big enough when people resolve to act with unity of purpose," he said.

The chief minister also appealed to the people to take all health precautions at individual, family and community levels and follow government advisories. Health and Family Welfare Minister S Pangnyu Phom, who also made a statement in the House, said that so far, a total of 4,08,812 people who reached the state by air, train or car have been screened in the state.

He said that 261 quarantine facilities were put in place to prevent the spread of the virus. Till Wednesday, the state's COVID-19 tally was 3,118 of which 1,991 are active cases and eight have died.