Odisha CM directs Health Dept to increase COVID-19 testing capacity to 15,000 per day

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday directed the Health Department to take measures to increase testing capacity up to 15,000 per day.

The direction was given during the review meeting on COVID-19 situation in the state with senior officials, which was chaired by Naveen Patnaik. The meeting took place through video conferencing.

In view of the long-distance journey and various other problems like food, water, sunstroke and accidents, the state government has decided that the migrants from Surat will come back only by trains.

"No permission to travel from Surat to Odisha by buses," Chief Minister Patnaik said.

Further, he said that farming activities, industrial work and transportation will be normalised in green zones. He asked officials to implement a policy for resolving the problems faced by the industries due to lockdown and said that loans for farmers and SHGs will be increased.

"Ensure easy availability of seeds and other essentials to farmers for the forthcoming Kharif season," Patnaik directed officials.

"Give special attention to the districts such as Ganjam, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Bolangir, and Jajpur which have a large number of migrants," said Patnaik.

( With inputs from ANI )