Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday urged the MLAs to procure the lists of people of their constituencies stranded in other parts of the country visiting their native places well in advance so that they could timely get in contact with the family members of such persons and sensitize them regarding social distancing and importance of isolation to check the vicious cycle of Covid-19.
Addressing BJP MLAs through video conferencing from Shimla, the Chief Minister said that over one lakh Himachalis have already reached Himachal Pradesh and 60,000 more are expected to come back to the State during next few days.
He said that it was responsibility of the State Government to ensure safety of the people stranded in various parts of the country but at the same time government was also ensuring that they do not carry any infection which may harm others. He said that MLAs must keep a close watch on entry of all such people and persuade them to remain in quarantine.
Thakur said the MLAs should also coordinate with Panchayats Pradhans and other party functionaries of the area so that foolproof arrangements could be made for quarantine of the coming persons.
He said that they should also ensure that general public in their respective areas maintain proper social distancing and also wear face cover.
He said the lockdown in wake of the pandemic has adversely affected the economy of the country as well as the State and steps should now be initiated at the local level to take up developmental works and generate economic activities.
Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced Rs. 20 lakh crore economic package to provide relief to the people of the country, adding that efforts must be made to educate the masses about this package so that they could get benefit of it. He said that the State would be immensely benefitted as almost 95 percent of industries fall under MSME categories as PM has announced a economic incentive of `50,000 crore for this vital sector.
Thakur said the State Government at its level had also taken some measures for the benefit of the working class, pointing out that the Government had also decided to enhance the upper income ceiling limit for selection of beneficiaries of BPL/priority households to `45000 approximately. This will increase the number of National Food Security Act households by 1,50,000 thereby making them eligible for getting wheat atta and rice at the highly subsidized rate of Rs. 3.30 per kg. and Rs. 2 per kg. respectively, he added.
URGES MEA TO PROVIDE ALL POSSIBLE HELP TO MANOJ KUMAR
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday urged the Union Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar to take up the matter with the Embassy Officers at Riyadh in UAE to provide all possible help to Manoj Kumar son of Duni Chand of village Tour Jajar, tehsil Dharampur of Mandi district, who is working in Riyadh and was tested positive for COVID-19.
After test and initial treatment he was discharged from Local Hospital and left abandoned by the Company in which he was working.
In a telephonic conservation with Union Minister for External Affairs, Thakur said that the boy was in distress as he was not being provided food, medication etc. required for such patients.
He requested the Union Minister to use his good office to provide all required assistance to Manoj Kumar.
Chief Minister has also written a letter in this regard to the Union Minister for External Affairs. Earlier, Thakur had video call with Manoj Kumar and assured that all possible help would be extended to him as he has taken up this matter with the Union Government.