Some criticise my govt without facts, daily COVID-19 testing capacity has been increased to 1,50,000: Nitish Kumar

Patna (Bihar) [India], September 7 (ANI): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said that some people in the state keep criticising his government but they do not know that the government has increased the testing capacity for COVID-19 to 1 lakh 50 thousand per day.
"We insisted on increasing the number of tests when the COVID-19 crisis started in the country," the Chief Minister said while addressing a virtual rally organised by JD-U.
"Some people in Bihar keep criticising us without any facts. In March, we had decided to increase testing capacity for COVID-19, and today over 1 lakh 50 thousand people are being tested every day. We have more than sufficient arrangements for COVID here," he added.
The CM further said that the recovery rate has reached 88.24 per cent in the state and the government is monitoring the situation of COVID-19 at the Chief Secretary level.
"When lockdown had started, Bihar's labourers were stranded around the country. We contacted them and handed out Rs 1,000 as support amount to 20,95,000 people from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund," he said.
"In May we requested the central government to run trains for people who wanted to return to their homes. We started quarantine centres for the returnees. The state government spent Rs 5,300 each on the around 15 lakh people who returned to the state," he added.
The Bihar CM appealed to the people to follow the COVID-19 guidelines in the elections which are likely to be held in the state later this year.
"I make an appeal that this year election will be held and hence everyone needs to be alert during the pandemic period. People need to follow all the COVID-19 guidelines in the circumstances. It is being seen that in Delhi the COVID-19 numbers are going up again after going down a few days back," the CM said.
He elaborated on the start of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyan in Bihar in which the state government has contributed 47.06 per cent funds.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi started the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyan on June 20, 2020 in the Telihar Panchayat of Khagaria district of Bihar. Rs 5,63,00,000 was allotted to the Panchayat for this program out of which Rs 2,65,00,000 is the state government's contribution. A total of 32 districts of Bihar will get the benefit of this scheme," he said.
"The central government is going to make available two 500-bedded ESIC hospitals in Bihta and Muzaffarpur dedicated to COVID-19," he added.
Bihar has 243 Assembly constituencies and elections in the state are due in October-November as the tenure of the current Assembly is scheduled to end on November 29.
The Election Commission has not yet taken a final call on poll dates in Bihar due to the coronavirus pandemic. (ANI)