At 2.24 per cent, Jammu and Kashmir lowest spender of Covid emergency fund in region; HP lags too

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 4

Jammu and Kashmir has emerged as the poorest performer among states and UTs in the region when it comes to spending of the funds available to under the Covid 19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Package approved by the Union Cabinet on July 8, 2021, to create infrastructure in the wake of a third wave.

Health Ministry data shows that while Delhi has spent 138.74 per cent of the funds earmarked for it under the scheme, Jammu and Kashmir has spent 2.24 pc, Ladakh 7,41 pc, Himachal Pradesh 9.94 pc, Chandigarh 27.77 pc, Haryana 60.13 pc and Punjab 87.45 pc.

Only five states in India have reported expenditure of more than 50 pc under the plan.

These are Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

Nationally, states and UTs have spent 19.42 pc of the funds under the centrally sponsored scheme aimed to prevent, detect and respond to the threat of the pandemic and strengthen health systems for emergency preparedness to avoid the kind of crisis hospitals faced at the height of the third wave.

The Centre has so far released 50 pc of the funds earmarked for states/UTs under the scheme where the Central share is Rs 15,000 crore and state share is 8,123 crore.

The scheme is to be implemented from July 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.

Of the Rs. 6075.85 crore made available by the Union Government, Rs 1679.05 crore, (27.13 pc), have been spent by States as December 31, 2021.

However, states and UTs had spent 19.42 pc of the total funds (central and state share together) available under the scheme until January 3.

Under the scheme, Rs 20,308.70 crores are to be spent by states out of which Rs 12,185.70 crore is to be provided by the central government and Rs 8,123 crore is to be provided by state governments.

The remaining central funds will be released to states and UTs based on the progress and utilization of at least 50 pc funds already released.