Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday requested for an ‘urgent release’ of Rs 2.66 crore from his Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD) funds for the purchase of ventilators, testing kits, personal protection equipment (PPEs) and other medical tools to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. “RahulGandhi has requested for urgent release of Rs 2.66 crore from his MPLADS funds for purchase of ventilators, testing kits, PPEs and other medical equipment for our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,” Congress MP Gandhi Wayanad office tweeted. Earlier, Gandhi had criticised the Centre over the handling of the coronavirus outbreak. “The coronavirus is a sledgehammer blow to our brittle economy. Small and medium businesses & daily wage earners are the worst hit. Clapping won’t help them. Only a massive economic package that includes direct cash transfers, tax breaks and a moratorium on loan repayments, will,” he had tweeted. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases have risen to 649 in India (including 593 active cases, 42 cured/discharged people) and 13 deaths.
