UP to explore alternative revenue sources to boost cash flow under lockdown

Adityanath asks officials to institute a committee in this regard

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Adityanath has asked officials to explore alternative sources of revenue to counter the negative impact of lockdown on the state’s coffers.

Chairing a review meeting in Lucknow today, Adityanath said a special committee be set up to prepare a roadmap to increase the state’s revenues and boost cash flow from alternative sources.

“UP is among the few states that has neither cut nor delayed salary payments to its employees,” UP additional chief secretary Awanish Kumar Awasthi told the media in Lucknow this evening. "For example, the housing department had been asked to expedite the process of free holding and compounding, so that it earns additional revenue for the exchequer."

Besides, the CM has stressed on the imperative of attracting fresh investment in the prevailing circumstances and rebooting the stalled industrial activities in the state.

Recently, Adityanath had directed officials to prepare post-covid economic strategy, including attracting investment from leading industrialised nations. The CM had noted it was important to plan early for overcoming the tough economic challenges borne out of lockdown, and that a dedicated team be formed to address them.

He had directed UP industrial development minister Satish Mahana and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) minister Sidharth Nath Singh to initiate a dialogue process with the ambassadors of these countries.

Amid reports of companies planning to shift manufacturing bases outside China following coronavirus outbreak, the UP government is identifying such corporations mainly based out of Japan, South Korea, USA, European Union etc, so that a targetted strategy could be formulated to woo them.

Meanwhile, he asked officials to procure portable ventilators and infrared thermometers from the UP Covid Care Fund and to improve the availability of oxygen and ventilators in the level 2 and 3 hospitals.

“The CM has stressed that the number of covid-19 beds across the state be increased to 100,000 to deal with any eventuality,” Awasthi said adding the coronavirus infection and death rates were among the lowest in UP.

At the same time, the state is planning to identify private hospitals, which could be designated for covid-19 treatment if needed.

The various state and central government institutions, which are equipped with functional bio-chemistry laboratories could also be used for providing testing facilities in the state.

“The CM has set the target of making UP as the top state with regards of coronavirus sample testing,” he informed.

UP has reported 2,203 coronavirus cases across 60 districts, of which 513 have been discharged, while 39 persons succumbed during treatment, leaving 1,651 active cases. Of these 60 districts, six have now become free of coronavirus after all the patients were discharged.

Yesterday, 4,795 samples were tested in the state, apart from 520 pools consisting of 2,252 samples.