The Centre will provide a financial package of Rs 1,300 crore to the Northeastern states to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced.

Reviewing the COVID-19 situation with health ministers of all the Northeastern states in Guwahati, Mandaviya said the fund is being provided to purchase medicines, enhance oxygen supply, increase beds — general, ICU and children — at local and district-level hospitals.

“The fund will also be utilised to speed up the vaccination drive by the states in the region. The Government of India is committed to provide enough vaccines to the states,” he told a press conference following the review meeting.

On the prolonged second wave of the pandemic in the Northeast, the minister said the peak in the region was seen much later than the rest of India and so it was taking time to decline.

“In the last two weeks, the cases have started declining in the Northeast and this is a good sign. All the states took various steps to contain the second wave and it is ending now,” Mandaviya said.