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Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has written a letter to the Centre, urging to consider the COVID-19 pandemic as natural calamity, so that the government can use the state disaster response fund (SDRF) to provide financial assistance to the affected people.
All State Disaster Management Acts have been formed as part of the central disaster management law; hence the state needs the Union government s permission to use the SDRF for helping the pandemic-hit people, a government official said on Thursday.
The chief minister wrote the letter to the Centre on Wednesday to seek its permission, he said.
As of now, flood, lightning incidents, heavy rainfall where there is loss of property or livelihood fall under the category of natural calamity and monetary compensation is provided to the affected people.
Centre plans to ‘airlift’ oxygen supplies
April 15, 2021
Oxygen cylinders when carried on commercial planes are allowed if they comply with ICAO norms - AFP
Oxygen cylinders when carried on commercial planes are allowed if they comply with ICAO norms - AFP×
This has not been done before given the risk involved
As shortage of medical oxygen worsens in States like Maharashtra due to spiralling Covid-19 cases, the government is exploring options of airlifting them in large quantities.
However, this is easier said than done as transporting oxygen in large quantities by air has not been done before due to its hazardous nature and rules do not permit private airlines to do so. Defence aircraft could well come to the rescue.
Haffkine Institute, one of India s oldest biomedical research institutes, today received central government nod to produce Bharat Biotech s Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin on a technology transfer basis. Department of biotechnology s secretary Renu Swarup conveyed the approval to Maharashtra chief secretary Sitaram Kunte on recommendation of an expert committee. The approval comes in the backdrop of rising Covid-19 cases and government s effort to increase pace of vaccination through production ramp ups and quicker approvals. Last month, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had sought central nod to manufacture Bharat Biotech s Covaxin at Haffkine Institute. After a visit to the institute, Thackeray had said a manufacturing plant would be set up in partnership with Bharat Biotech to manufacture vaccines.
COVID-19 vaccine: Centre permits Mumbai s Haffkine Institute to produce Covaxin
In a letter to Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte, Renu Swarup, Secretary in Department of Biotechnology, said Haffkine Institute can manufacture the vaccine doses.
BusinessToday.In | April 16, 2021 | Updated 00:22 IST
The Maharashtra government will appoint a senior officer to monitor and complete the project, which will increase availability of Covaxin, in time.
The Centre has given its nod to Mumbai-based Haffkine Institute to manufacture Bharat Biotech s COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin.
During a video-conference between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief ministers of the states, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had requested to allow Haffkine Institute, run by the Maharashtra government, to manufacture Covaxin.
Updated Apr 15, 2021 | 19:34 IST
Reliance Industries Ltd operates the world’s biggest oil refinery in Gujarat’s Jamnagar. It is the same facility that is now reportedly diverting oxygen to Maharashtra at no cost to the state exchequer.
Congress leader and Mumbai resident Milind Deora thanked Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani for supplying 100 tons of oxygen to Maharashtra’s hospitals amid severe shortage and spiralling Covid-19 cases in the state.
“Grateful to Mukesh Ambani for supplying 100 tons of oxygen to Maharashtra. From enhancing India’s PPE capacity to undertaking the world’s largest private-sector led meal distribution program for daily-wage earners, @ril foundation has disrupted philanthropy during COVID19,” wrote former Mumbai South Lok Sabha MP in a tweet thanking Ambani.