The Meghalaya government has spent at least Rs 1.9 crore a day on measures related to fighting against COVID-19, deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong has said.
The state had incurred Covid-related expenditures worth Rs 399 crore in the last seven months from March to September.
Tynsong who shared the details of various expenses on Tuesday in Shillong, said that out of Rs 399 crore, Rs 251 crore has been spent for clearing various bills mentioned in different heads, while Rs 148 crore is yet to be paid.
He said that till date, assistance received from the Government of India was Rs 48 crore.
“All these expenditures for various heads will be reflected in an annual report of the CAG, as it will be subjected to auditing. Those who are not satisfied with my report, they will also find expenditures which will be reflected in the CAG report,” Tynsong said.
Tynsong also provided figures of various expenditures from March till the end of September this year, the total of which, touched Rs 399 crore and the expenditures were for meeting different requirements in the fight against COVID-19.
Tynsong said that the National Health Mission (NHM) had spent for Corona care centres, PPEs, ambulances, labs and surveillances worth Rs 188. 9 crore.
The DHS had spent for procurement of machines, ply mask, thermal scanners, and other requirements which accounted for Rs 82.4 crore.
While Rs 14.7 crore was spent under the chief minister’s special grants like payment to stranded citizens was Rs 14.7 crore, under CMRF like procurement of ambulances, biomedical waste van, community quarrantine centres come to Rs 7.4 crore.
The labour department under the chief minister special assistance against wage loss was Rs 51 crore and Rs 15 crore under SRWP as advanced sanction of Rs 25 lakh per MLA.
The other expenses include PMCARES Rs 3.5 crores, District Mineral Fund (DMF) Rs 8.9 crore and Rs 23.7 crore under SDRF.
Tynsong said that the state generated own sources of revenue, apart from monthly entitlements received from the Centre.
“The financial position of the state is not good, and the chief minister and myself will go to Delhi, and the government of India is also supporting us,” he said.