Appreciating its pandemic mitigation efforts, former CM Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday urged the state government to spend the labour cess (fund) of R4,000 crore for supporting unorganised out-of-job construction labourers in Maharashtra. He also called for the extending of relaxation in tax and duty payments and creation of more medical facilities in rural areas in the wake of the viral threat.

"This is a national disaster which we all, the state and central governments, are fighting together. We [the Opposition party] support the state government fully and appeal people to follow guidelines and protocol," he told media persons on Saturday.