Centre taking measures to curb COVID-19, no taxes on medicines related to virus, says G Kishan Reddy

Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy on Sunday said that the Centre is taking all the necessary measures to combat the deadly coronavirus.

Reddy, who undertook a review with officials of MARKFED, CCI and NAFED in Hyderabad on Sunday, said: "We are conducting a review with the authorities every day and alerting them. There are no taxes on the manufacture of medicine related to coronavirus. The Central government will take all steps to stop the virus from spreading. The Center has been talking to all State officials from time to time. The Central government is taking all necessary steps in fighting the coronavirus."

Regarding the problems of the farmers, the MoS said, "We have discussed the problems faced by the farmers with the authorities on the purchase of crops and cotton. In the past few days, there has been concern among farmers over the purchase of livestock in the State."

"We are ready to buy 25 per cent of the production of berries by the State government," he said.

The minister also said that the Central government is responding generously to farmers and has purchased 20 lakh metric tonnes of cotton from the State.