SHILLONG: Amid vague allegations and suspicion on misuse of COVID-19 funds, the Meghalaya Government has decided to come out with a report card next week on how fund provided by the Centre for tackling the pandemic was made use of.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma recently stated that state had already incurred an expenditure of more than Rs 200 crore in its fight against COVID-19.
On Thursday, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, while replying to a query from reporters about the allegations COVID-19 misuse, denied the charge. He said, “The expenditure is huge and we will come out with details by next week.”
He said that unlike other states, Meghalaya Government was still providing complete support to COVID patients whereas other states had stopped providing free testing, food and stay since the month of July.
“In corona centres and quarantine centres we are providing free food right from breakfast to tea and dinner. It costs us Rs 600 per person per day and one can calculate the amount with the total figures of those quarantined,” he said.
He also said that an RT-PCR test costs Rs 4100 and Meghalaya has conducted thousands of such tests till date.
The Deputy Chief Minister also defended the high expenditure saying the government had procured ventilators, medical equipment and ambulances and distributed to CHCs,
Admitting that there were many critics who do not appreciate the hard work put in by the state government and think that the state government was “eating and enjoying” the money given by the Centre, Tynsong said, “The fact and the truth is we are here to serve. Don’t misunderstand us. We have not taken even a single pie from the exchequer”.
The centre has released Rs 100 crore as COVID fund so far to Meghalaya, it was disclosed.