Chennai: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami today held a review meeting with top officials to discuss the measures being taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
It is said that Palaniswami also reviewed the implementation of the the lockdown announced by the Central government. The meeting took place at the Chief Minister’s Greenway’s Road residence in which Chief Secretary, DGP and Secretaries of various departments took part.
Meanwhile, it is said that the government is planning to set up coronavirus speciality hospitals in four places in the State, including Tambaram in Chennai and Thoppur in Madurai.
Palaniswami’s recent announcement of giving Rs 1,000 to ration card holders as part of coronavirus precaution was released in the government gazette today. The announcement of procuring April month goods free of cost at fair price shops was also released in the gazette today.
It may be noted that Palaniswami yesterday announced that a special relief package of Rs 3,280 crore to help people whose livelihood has taken a hit due to the curbs put in place for battling the coronavirus. Under the assistance plan, people having ‘rice’ ration cards will get Rs 1,000 each cash assistance, and all card holders shall get essential commodities -rice, dhal, cooking oil and sugar- free of cost.
Making the announcement in the Assembly under Rule 110, he said token system will be followed to avoid crowding in the fair price shops. Auto drivers and construction workers will get a special assistance of Rs 1,000, he told the Assembly. Families of migrant labourers will get 15 kgs rice, one kilo each dhal and cooking oil for free.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a complete lockdown across the country for 21 days from Tuesday midnight, asserting that social distancing is the only way out for the country in its decisive battle against the coronavirus.
In his second address to the nation on the pandemic raging across much of the world with the number of infections rising in India, Modi made a fervent appeal to the countrymen not to cross the ‘lakshman rekha’ of their homes in the next three weeks.
Any negligence in these 21 days will “Push the country and your families by 21 years”, he said underlining the massive danger the coronavirus poses.