Not a single poor person has slept hungry in Uttarakhand during the lockdown. Elaborate arrangements were made at the Governmental and societal level to ensure this.
Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said this in the video conference of Chief Ministers chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.
Informing the PM about various measures taken by the State Government, Rawat also sought varied relaxations in different spheres to revive economic activity in the Sate.
Rawat informed that about 500 doctors and paramedical staff had been posted to tackle COVID-19 in the State. Of the 13 districts ICUs with ventilators and BiPAP machines had been arranged in 11 districts along with arrangement for training the paramedical staff to enable facing of unusual conditions.
The CM further informed that the doubling rate of COVID-19 in the state is 45 days while the recovery rate is 67.6 per cent.
Of the 68 positive cases in the State, 46 had recovered and returned home.
So far, 45,000 migrants from Uttarakhand have been brought back to the State with the State Government bearing the expense. Many migrants are being brought back by train from Surat and Pune. The State Government has deposited Rs 2,000 each in the accounts of about two lakh labourers. Work has resumed in about 3,500 industrial enterprises at 45 per cent capacity.
Stating that some reforms had been made in labour laws, he said that the State had initiated steps towards contract farming.
He also spoke about developing a single window portal for farmers as done for industries, adding that economic activities will rise if the farmer is strong.
Stating that a large number of labourers are needed for extracting mined materials, he asked that priority be accorded to National Green Tribunal permission for this purpose. He also sought permission for opening residential schools in the state. Considering financial constraints and drop in tax collection, the loan limit should be four per cent.
Permission should be granted for economic activities outside containment zones. Further, limited tourism activities should be permissible between green zones in the State.
Rawat said that hotel, restaurants, tourism and transport businesses have been the worst affected by the pandemic.
There are about 2.5 lakh MSMEs in the state which provide employment to lakhs of people.
Measures should be considered to provide some relief to such enterprises.
The CM also sought inclusion of homestay, short term agricultural works and other activities under MNREGA. For urban areas, a new scheme on the pattern of MNREGA should be introduced for labourers.
Stating that a large number of very poor migrants are returning to the state, he said that they do not have any ration card. The Central Government has proscribed making new ration cards after April 1. However, the poor migrants numbering in about three lakh have no immediate source of livelihood and hence, it is essential to make ration cards for them.