Punjab Covid graph to peak by mid-September to over 1 lakh cases and 3,000 deaths, Amarinder tells Oppn party CMs

Recommends opposition CMs move SC for postponing JEE and NEET and varsity exams; cites 23 MLAs of state testing positive for Covid ahead of assembly session day after

Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 26

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said on Wednesday the COVID-19 graph in the state would peak by mid-September when the state is estimated to see over one lakh cases and nearly 3,000 deaths.

Speaking at the virtual meeting of the opposition chief ministers, including West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee, Maharashtra’s Uddhav Thackeray and Jharkhand’s Hemant Soren, called by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, the Punjab chief minister also suggested that all opposition CMs should jointly move the Supreme Court demanding postponement of JEE Mains, NEET UG and university exams considering transmission is rising.

He said 23 Punjab MLAs had tested positive ahead of assembly session starting day after.

Also read: Punjab CM directs AG to file review petition in SC on NEET/JEE exams

“This is the situation, how can we hold exams? But UGC is not listening to us,” said Singh.

He informed the chief ministers that Punjab had set up a committee to assess the general and financial impact of the new National Education Policy 2020 on the state.

“The new Education Policy has been thrust on us but we were not consulted,” he said.

The Punjab chief minister said the Centre was not releasing GST dues making the COVID management challenging.

“COVID situation is getting worse. We are likely to reach the peak by mid-September. Today we have 44,000 cases which will rise to 1.10 lakh by September 18. As of today there are 1,178 deaths in Punjab and the prediction is 3,000 deaths by mid-September,” Amarinder Singh said.

The Punjab chief minister said the state’s finances were down and the Attorney General is learnt to have opined that the Centre need not pay GST compensation to the GST Council.

“We learnt the Centre has taken AG’s opinion who says there is no obligation on Centre to pay shortfall of GST and the GST council has to find ways. Punjab's revenue is down by 38 per cent. All tax collections are in the minus and the financial year will end with Rs 25,000-crore deficit,” said Singh after Mamata Banerjee, Thackeray and Soren and other chief ministers decided to collectively petition the president and the prime minister on the depleting finances.

Punjab, Singh said, has spent Rs 500 crore on COVID so far.

The state had received Rs 102 crore in two instalments from Health Ministry for Covid and Rs 31 crore third instalment was due, he said.

Amarinder Singh said the opposition chief ministers should collectively see the prime minister and ask him to ensure states are financially compensated.

“We have given powers of taxation to the PM through GST. But he’s not giving money. How do states run?” he said, adding that Punjab will reach 30,000 COVID tests a day by end month.

As of today, there are 499 patients on oxygen and 55 on ventilator in Punjab, and this number is rising.

The Punjab chief minister said the state needed resources and attacked the Centre saying they’ve stopped Rs 720 crore annual post-matric scholarship grant for SC students.

Singh also said he expected the COVID situation to worsen with 8,000 vehicles moving into Punjab daily.

“GOI is least interested and transmission is rising,” said Amarinder Singh.