UP to explore partial restart of activities in key sectors
ANNOUNCEMENT Ministers, officers to attend office from Apr 15
LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday evening announced that the state was looking for a partial resumption of construction, agriculture, drinking water consolidation, revenue, MSME, industrial and education activities from April 15 onwards following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stress on ‘jaan bhi, jahan bhi’ (both life and livelihood).
The chief minister, however, made it quite clear that educational institutions will not reopen anytime soon. The prime minister had announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown, which began on March 25 and would end on April 14, unless it is extended.
The chief minister also announced several committees under ministers that will think and draw a roadmap for resumption of activities.
“The ministers will start sitting in their respective offices and all officers from the level of special secretary will resume going to their offices from April 15,” Adityanath said. They will also decide categories of other staff who need to begin attending office.
“From April 14, we will start sending home people who are in shelter homes completing the 14-day isolation. They will be medically checked for symptoms once again and if cleared medically, we will send them home with an advisory of another
14-day isolation at their homes. Considering that these people should not face any problem for food for their 14-day home quarantine, we will give them food packets of grains,” the chief minister said.
“After the lockdown, this was the first time that the cabinet ministers, in such large number, had a meeting where they were physically present. Nineteen cabinet-level ministers met. Others could not come because of the lockdown as they are in their home districts,” he said.
“At this evening’s meeting, we discussed the lockdown and what all could be after the lockdown,” the chief minister said.
“We will have to continue working with the same alertness as we did till now. And we had a consensus on following PM Modi’s idea of ‘Jaan bhi, Jahan bhi (Life and livelihood--both). We not only have to contain coronavirus and save lives, but also have to return to normalcy. We have to take steps to return to normal activities so that we don’t face problems. We have constituted a committee each under over different ministers. The committees will find ways for resumption of activities,” he said. The committee chaired by deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maruya will explore to what extent resumption of activities can be allowed in construction, especially roads, expressways, and big ticket project by maintaining social distancing and safety.
The committee under deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma will decide on online syllabus of various courses form school to higher education level so that education does not suffer.
“For maintaining social distancing, it is important not to reopen schools and colleges,” he said.
The committee headed by finance minister Suresh Khanna will think about ways to start revenue generation, MSME sector, and industrial activities.
Agriculture minister Surya Pratap Shahi’s committee will work on the problems and issues related to farmers.
“We would like to explore maximise procurement from farms or through farmers and, at the same time, ensure minimum support price for farmers,” Yogi said.
The committee headed by health minister Jai Pratap Singh would decide how to resume critical care and emergency services like dialysis, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, cardiac-care, neuro-related ailments. It will also work on the safety of doctors, health workers engaged in Covid-19 treatment.
Jal shakti minister Mahendra Singh’s committee will work on how water supply is to be maintained to people--all the more when the temperature has begun rising, especially in the waterscarce areas like Vindhyachal or Bundelkhand.
The committee chaired by labour minister Swami Prasad Maurya will look into labour welfare issues and the one under social welfare minister Ramapati Shastri will work on scholarships and pensions under his department.
Similarly, the committee under the rural development minister Moti Singh will work on rural sanitation, while urban development minister Ashutosh Tandon’s committee will oversea urban sanitation.
NO PUBLIC EVENTS
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath said though there were many festivities lined up this month, it was important not to have public functions.
Some of the events and observances scheduled this month are Khalsa Panth foundation related to the Sikh community on April 13-14, or Baisakhi, Ambedkar Jayanti (April 14) and the beginning of Ramzan (April 23).
Any public event might spread infection, he cautioned. The district administration would seek help of religious leaders, he said.
On Ambedkar Jayanti, people will pay tribute to the late leader by garlanding his portrait in offices or homes, the chief minister advised.