At a time when the city is facing a severe shortage of blood, the state health department is holding on to Rs 96.9 lakh of funds from the Centre, earmarked mostly for purchase of blood bags, essential to deal with the scarcity. The stocks of these approved poly bags at the Central Medical Stores have dwindled to about 5,000 pieces. The stores last placed an order with the suppliers , a Kerala government undertaking , in August. Without the blood bags, the blood banks cannot store the blood donated at various camps.