Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for augmenting healthcare resources in rural areas to focus on door to door testing and surveillance.
The Prime Minister asserted that localised containment strategies are the need of the hour, especially in states with high positivity rate in districts.
Chairing a high-level meeting, Modi said states should be encouraged to report their Covid-19 numbers transparently "without any pressure of high numbers showing adversely on their efforts".
His remarks come amid reports that many states have been under-reporting their case and fatality tallies.
Modi also directed that a distribution plan for ensuring oxygen supply in rural areas should be worked out, including through provision of oxygen concentrators.