By OUR STAFF REPORTER
DEHRADUN, 11 May: Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat took part in the video-conference Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with the chief ministers of states on Monday.
CM Rawat said that the nation was feeling secure because of the courageous decisions taken by the Prime Minister. He thanked the PM, as well various Union Ministers, the Cabinet Secretary and other secretaries for the guidance provided from time to time on the handling of the COVID-19 crisis.
He informed the PM that during the lockdown, no poor person had slept hungry in the state. There had been extensive arrangements in this regard not only by the state government, but also many social organisations. As many as five hundred doctors were involved in the battle against COVID-19, and just as many paramedical staff. In eleven of the state’s thirteen districts, arrangements had been made for ICUs, ventilators and bypass facilities. The paramedical staff was receiving proper training to face any situation. He revealed that corona cases were doubling in the state every 45 days and the recovery rate was 67.6 percent. Of the 68 positive cases in the state, 46 patients had recovered and gone home.
He claimed that, till now, 45000 out of state residents of Uttarakhand had been brought home at the government’s cost. They were also being brought from Pune and Surat by train. As many as 2 lakh workers had been provided Rs 2000 each in their bank accounts. Forty-five percent work had begun in approximately 3500 industries in the state.
The CM also stated that labour laws were being reformed and progress made in the direction of contract farming. A single-window system would be set up for farmers also. He sought clearance from the NGT for resumption of mining activities as these were employment intensive.
The CM also asked for clearance to re-open residential schools in the state, as well as increase in loan facility from 3 to 4 percent to meet the shortfall in tax collection. Permission was sought for commercial activity outside the containment zone, as also limited tourism. He also asked for a relief package for the hotel, restaurant, transport and tourism industries, as well as the 2.5 lakh SMSEs, which all employment intensive. He also sought improvements in the MNREGA rules to expand the scope of the scheme. He emphasised the need for making rations cards for the migrant labourers returning home and sought permission to use SDRF funds in the fight against COVID-19.
