Itahari, Mar. 24:The State 1 government has established a "people's security fund" to finance programmes relating to prevention and treatment of COVID-19 cases in the State.

The allocation was made by an emergency state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister (CM) Sherdhan Rai at provincial capital Biratnagar.

Accordingly, the State government has allocated Rs. 100 million to the fund. The Chief Minister and other members of the cabinet have decided to contribute their one month's salary to the emergency fund, shared Dhruwa Subedi, the press advisor of CM Rai.

The state cabinet has also decided to set up a corona help desk at the Office of The Chief Minister and Council of Ministers in Biratnagar. According to the cabinet decision, a section officer-level corona focal person has been deployed at the corona help desk.

Meanwhile, in Itahari, a 200-bed quarantine venue has come into operation. The Office of Itahari Sub-Matropolitan City yesterday had decided to do so, shared officiating mayor Laxmi Gautam. The quarantine centre established at local Janata Multiple Campus in Itahari-5 will host locals suspected of carrying the COVID-19 virus, informed Gautam speaking over the phone.