Bhubaneswar, April 8 -- Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release Rs 300 crore to the State for the management of upsurge in Covid-19 pandemic.

Participating in the meeting with PM Modi over Covid situation along with other chief ministers, Patnaik said, "During 2020-21, Odisha had requested for Rs 400 crores under Emergency Covid Response Plan (ECRP), but we received only Rs 146 crores. In view of the new wave of Covid, it is requested that at least Rs 300 crores be released to Odisha for 2021-22 for Covid Management."

The CM thanked the Union Government for allowing the States, under SDRF guidelines, to spend up to 50% of the annual allocation for Covid-related acti...