Meghalaya Ministers to donate 10% of monthly salary towards COVID-19 fight

SHILLONG: Amid a staggering rise in COVID-19 cases, Meghalaya's Ministers have decided to donate 10% of their income from January to March towards the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to fight the pandemic.

Therefore, a sum of Rs. 3,53,250 will be deducted from the ministers' salaries and added to the Relief Fund's coffers.

The state's chief minister Conrad K Sangma, making the announcement via Twitter, thanked the ministers for donating money towards the noble cause.

"I extend my gratitude to our Hon'ble Ministers for donating 10% of their monthly salaries from January upto March amounting to Rs. 3,53,250/- (rupees three lakhs fifty three thousand two hundred fifty only) towards the Chief Minister Relief Fund for #Covid19," Sangma tweeted.

Meanwhile, the state government has put an impetus on increasing the rate of vaccination to combat the rise of COVID-19 cases.

Today, the chief minister convened a meeting with all DCs to review the vaccination drive in the State and the department's strategy to handle the second COVID-19 wave.

"Stressed on the need to adopt a target approach, identify hotspots & aggressively complete the Phase 2 vaccination drive. (sic),", Sangma conveyed on Twitter.

Similarly, Sangma held a meeting with MLAs of Shillong the CEM of the Khasi Council to discuss the COVID-19 situation including the vaccination efforts in the State.

"Called on them to join hands with the government by sensitising citizens to participate in the vaccination program," he said later.

Meghalaya on Thursday reported 180 new COVID-19 cases, which took the tally in the state to 15,486, a health department official said.

The state now has 1,131 active cases, Health Services Director Aman War said.

Sixty-eight people were cured of the disease during the day, taking the total number of recoveries in the northeastern state to 14,198, he said.

The death toll remained at 157, as no new fatality due to the infection was reported, War said.

The state has so far conducted over 4.43 lakh sample tests for COVID-19.

Altogether, 1.88 lakh people have been inoculated in the state, with over 50,000 of them having received both doses of the vaccine, he said.

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