Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday highlighted the urgent need for more testing facilities and requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a video conference to scale up both private and public testing facilities and make them free of cost.
He also sought at least 50 days of wages for MGNREGS workers, additional installments in PM Kisan for Farmers and sought the advance release of funds to the States.
Patnaik praised the initiatives such as restriction on international travel, airlifting Indians from affected areas by the Central government.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in India has now climbed up to 223, including 32 foreigners, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday.