COVID-19: Odisha hikes contingency fund to meet emergency needs

The Odisha Cabinet on Thursday approved the proposal for amendment of the Odisha Contingency Fund Act, 1967, raising its corpus fund to meet the emergency needs to combat COVID-19.

This will be promulgated through an ordinance."As COVID-19 pandemic has become the biggest challenge, in the interest of public service, the corpus of the contingency fund has been increased to Rs 2,000 crore from Rs 400 crore to meet the urgent and emergency needs for containment management and preventive measures," read a statement issued by the state government.

"It has been approved in the Cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister (Naveen Patnaik). An ordinance will come into force in this effect as the Odisha Legislative Assembly is not in session," the statement said.

Earlier on Thursday, the state government made wearing face masks compulsory for all while stepping outside their homes.

As per the government, stepping out of homes without masks will be an offence, inviting a penalty of Rs 200 on the first three instances of violation and Rs 500 subsequently.

Odisha has three COVID-19 dedicated hospitals.

A 525-bed hospital, dedicated for coronavirus patients, was set up at SOA campus in Bhubaneswar. Two other COVID-19 hospitals -- a 500-bed hospital at Kalinga Institute of Medical Science (KIMS) in the capital and a 125-bed hospital in Cuttack -- are also functional in the state.

The state on Thursday reported four new positive cases of COVID-19, taking the total tally to 48.