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Coronavirus: AP govt urges Centre to extend financial aid to overcome crisis

Daily revenues down to a trickle, chief minister tells Narendra Modi

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy made a desperte appeal to prime minister Narendra Modi to extend urgent financial assistance to his government to overcome the "grave crisis" brought on by the COVID-19 epidemic and the consequent lockdown.

In a videoconference the prime minister had with chief ministers, Jagan Mohan Reddy hinted Andhra Pradesh's revenue has fallen to less than Rs 2 crore per day.

"We are facing a grave financial crisis, so much so that we could not even pay full salaries for the month of March to our officers and employees. Our revenues have fallen to negligible levels," the chief minister told Modi.

"We have promised Rs 1,000 to each BPL family as relief because of the lockdown and we immediately need Rs 1,500 crore for this by April 4," the chief minister said.

He urged the central government to extend liberal financial assistance to overcome the pathetic situation and bail out the state.

Officials who took part in the videoconference said the chief minister also requested that the Centre to supply coronavirus testing kits and personal protection equipment in view of the spurt in cases seen in Andhra Pradesh in the last three days.

Andhra Pradesh has recorded 132 coronavirus positive cases so far, 111 of them were related to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in New Delhi.

Jagan Mohan Reddy said the patients and suspects were being kept in home isolation and quarantine facilities and provided all necessary medical help.

"We require a lot of PPEs and also test kits. Kindly ensure their supply to AP," the chief minister said.

He also explained about the door-to-door survey being undertaken in both rural and urban areas to check on coronavirus patients and also identify possible carriers.

( Source : PTI )
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