Owaisi asks Centre to provide aid to state govts for fighting coronavirus COVID-19 battle

New Delhi: All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi has urged the Central government to step up its efforts in providing aid to the state governments to fight coronavirus battle.

Taking to Twitter on Saturday, Owaisi stated, "It is the states that are carrying the burden in this fight, the Union must put its weight behind them and equip them well."

Notably, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Friday said that Centre has announced a Rs 15,000 crore package to deal with the coronavirus crisis and Rs 4,100 have been disbursed to all states.

"The Centre has announced Rs 15,000 crore for 'India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package' and Rs 4,100 crore have been disbursed to all states. Our aim is that there should not be a problem due to a lack of money," he had said.

The tally of the country's novel coronavirus cases increased to 8356 on Sunday. Of these, 716 have been cured and discharged, and 273 have succumbed to the virus.