Srinagar, Jul 23 (IANS): Responding to the increasing numbers of COVID-19 positive cases, Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday sanctioned Rs 15 crores for setting up additional testing labs in Srinagar and Jammu cities.

An official statement said the decision to sanction Rs five crore each to three health institutions in J&K was taken in the state executive committee meeting headed by the Chief Secretary B. V. R. Subrahmanyam.

The statement said Rs 15 crores have been sanctioned under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of medical sciences (SKIMS) in Srinagar, the Government Medical College Jammu and the Government Medical College Srinagar.

The statement added that Rs five crore each has been sanctioned for the three health institutions for setting up of additional testing labs, equipment, PPEs and other COVID containment efforts.

The sanctioned amount is over and above the funds already provided to the Health Department.