The Central government will release Rs 1,300 crores to the Northeastern states to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. This was stated by the Union health minister, Mr Manshukh Mandaviya at a press conference after reviewing the situation in Guwahati.

He held the review meeting with health ministers of all the Northeastern states in Guwahati. He added that the funds are being provided to buy medicines, enhance oxygen supply and augment the bed capacity in the 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 providing enough vaccines to the states," he added.

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.