With the aim to bolster doorstep delivery during the lockdown period, the Uttar Pradesh government has allowed private players like Amazon and Flipkart to provide groceries and other essentials to people across the state.
Briefing media persons, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi said on Thursday that doorstep delivery of essential commodities would be strengthened with the entry of major private players across the state.
“While Amazon will start its operations immediately, Flipkart will do the same very soon,” Awasthi said.
Since the beginning of the lockdown, the state government has started door-to-door delivery of essential commodities, for which over 26,298 mobile vans, including 11,000 government vehicles, and hand-pulled carts have been put into service. Lucknow alone is being catered by 3,280 four-wheelers and carts.
Besides, private outlets like Big Bazaar, Spencer and Easy Day and state-run Family Bazaar are also catering to public demand. Over 8,800 provision stores have deployed 16,509 doorstep delivery personnel to benefit the people locked in homes during the lockdown.
“The government will ensure that people do not come out of their houses to purchase essential commodities. Whatever people need will be made available to them at their doorsteps,” Awasthi said.
The additional chief secretary said that besides urban residents, the government was also taking care of people in rural areas.
“Around 1.94 crore ration card holders including eight lakh MGNREGA workers, are being given foodgrains till now and they will get free rations as per Central allocation from April 15,” he said.
The foodgrain distribution is being carried out through public distribution system (PDS) since Wednesday and people are allowed to take their quota of ration while maintaining social distancing.
Awasthi said that 2,442 community kitchens were being run by religious and other organisations in cities and soon 2,500 government-run kitchens would be added.
“On Wednesday, over six lakh food packets were distributed across the state and the number is much more on Thursday,” he said.
Meanwhile, Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Renuka Kumar said that on the first day of the new financial year, the government sanctioned Rs 1,139 crore for different sectors to serve the people during lockdown and purchase medical equipment.
She said the government had set up 1,050 shelter homes where around 40,000 people were staying
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath would be attending a brief function on Friday morning during which he would transfer pensions to around 87 lakh widows, senior citizens and differently-abled people across the state.