In what's probably a first-of-its-kind announcement from any state, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has sanctioned Rs 60 lakh from Chief Minister Relief Fund (CMRF) to feed stray animals during the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown in five municipal corporations, 48 municipalities and 61 Notified Area Councils (NACs).
The state government has fixed the unit cost per day for all municipal corporations, municipalities, and all NAC areas to meet the expenditure in this regard.
The state government has asked civic bodies to make necessary provisions for providing food to the stray animals?in urban and semi-urban areas of the state during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Earlier in the day, the Odisha government decided to prioritise the vaccination of 18 to 44 age group people in the five municipal corporations of the state where the positivity rate of COVID-19 infection is relatively high.?
"The state has started the process of procurement of COVID-19 vaccine for vaccination of I8 to 44 year age groups from the state's own fund. Presently, as the manufacturers are able to supply low quantity of vaccines, we are starting 18 to 44 year age group vaccination only in five municipal corporations," wrote additional chief secretary PK Mohapatra in a letter to all district collectors on Saturday.
Thousands of stray animals in the state may have a hard time finding food leading to starvation and other consequential issues amid the lockdown in the state from May 5 to May 19.
Therefore, the Housing and Urban Development Department has directed all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the state to make necessary provision of food for the stray animals.