Kerala rolls out ₹5,650 crore relief as Covid rages on

The state has witnessed suicides last week due to the financial burden incurred due to the Covid lockdown.

Thiruvananthapuram: Amid a high Covid-19 caseload and lockdowns, the Kerala government on Friday announced a financial package of ₹5,650 crore to revive the economy that is reeling under the impact of the pandemic.

Locals interact with a health worker as they wait for their turn to get vaccinated at the general hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. (ANI)

The state reported over 20,000 Covid cases on Friday, according to the state health ministry. When 1,52,639 samples were tested, 20,772 turned positive with a test positivity rate of 13.61%. For the last four days the state has been reporting over 20,000 cases and contributing more than half of total Covid count in the country.

Announcing the bailout package in the assembly, finance minister KN Balagopal said the government is committed to helping people hit hard by the pandemic. He said the government will subsidise loans, announcing two new schemes under the state-run Kerala Financial Corporation and Kerala State Financial Enterprises.

“We will give loans to small-scale traders, entrepreneurs and framers. The government will bear interest of four per cent for six months for loans up to ₹2 lakh. This will be a big boost to farmers, small-scale traders and others,” he said, adding that the government will also give concession in rent and power charges to tide over the crisis.

The state has witnessed suicides last week due to the financial burden incurred due to the Covid lockdown.

“We have requested banks also to provide loans at a cheaper rate and not to insist for dues in the prevailing situation,” Balagopal said, adding that the government will give loans up to ₹1 crore at five per cent interest to 500 small enterprises this year.

This is the third package announced by the LDF government, he said. But the Opposition called it a gimmick and asked the government to give details of the earlier packages. “We know the fate of earlier packages. This will remain only in announcements,” said opposition leader VD Satheesan.

As cases gallop, experts and medical bodies have asked the state government to conduct more genetic studies and seroprevalence surveys to confirm the presence and depth of various strains in the state.

“We are depending heavily on the Indian Council of Medical Research for sero survey and other tests. We all know that the ICMR is taking a small amount of samples and doing it randomly. The state can do such things elaborately to get a clear picture,” said Indian Medical Association Kerala chapter secretary Dr P Gopikumar.

Meanwhile, the 6-member central experts’ team, headed by director of the National Centre for Disease Control Dr SK Singh, was to arrive in the state later in the night.

The Union health ministry sent the six-member multi-disciplinary team to Kerala on Thursday to monitor the on-ground Covid-19 situation there and suggest measures to control the spread of infection, as the state remains the country’s biggest hot spot region.