Pondy CM to visit Delhi on Sept 22, to seek central aid for Covid-19

Puducherry Chief Minister

V Narayanasamy will be on a two-day visit to New Delhi starting September 22, to urge the central government to release 'sufficient' funds to manage the COVID-19 situation in the union territory.

Addressing a virtual press conference on Tuesday, Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao, who will be accompanying the CM during the visit, said, "we will urge the Home and Health Ministries to ensure that Puducherry is sanctioned sufficient funds to tackle the current COVID-19 situation in the Union Territory."

Rao said, "although the Chief Minister had been persuading the Prime Minister since last five months to come to the rescue of the territorial government with sufficient grant of funds to deal with the current pandemic situation, the Centre had earmarked only Rs 4 crores."

He further said the CM had also written to the Prime Minister for more funds, but nothing cut any ice.

Claiming that the government was in a fiscally critical condition, he said, "We will persuade, during our two day visit to Delhi, the Union Health and Home Ministers to respond to our plea for sufficient funds."

Puducherry posted 493 fresh cases of coronavirus and six related fatalities on Tuesday, taking the overall tally of infections to 23,684.

Rao also said he would visit Karaikal later in the day today to inspect the government hospital there.

"Karaikal has been witnessing rise in number of COVID-19 positive cases. As many as 145 positive cases were reported.

We will rectify all the shortcomings including the requirement of equipment in the Government GH in Karaikal," he said.