Following the instructions of chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, the Chhattisgarh government on Tuesday initiated a number of pro-people measures, including a lock down as part its drive to prevent and to combat the spread of coronavirus outbreak in the state.
It is hoped that these decisions will provide relief to the public until March 31.
The measures undertaken includes distributing of lump sum rice in April and May and salt and sugar in April to the antyodaya, priority and annapurna category of ration card holders of the public distribution system in the state.
Officials have been instructed to ensure that mid-day meals to the school-going children are also provided during the lockdown period and closure of the schools for the next 40 days.
Uncooked dal and rice will be supplied to the children of the schools, officials said.
Each and every student of primary schools will be given 4 kg of uncooked rice and 800 gm of uncooked dal and while each student of secondary and higher secondary schools will be given 6 kg of uncooked rice and 1,200 gm of uncooked dal, they said.
As all anganwadi and mini anganwadi centers which have been closed until March 3 due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the state government has sanctioned 750 gm of take home ration—ready to eat meals—for normal, moderate and severely malnourished children between the age of 03 to 06 years as an alternative arrangement in place of 125 gm of ready to eat hot food per day.
Mandatory instructions for the delivery of the mid-day meals have been given of the officials.
The distribution of ready-to-eat food as per eligibility to the remaining beneficiaries will continued.
The time limit for renewal of licenses, permits, among others has been extended by one month in all the urban bodies of the state.
Instructions have been given to postpone the cases in the revenue courts until April 1 or later.
The commercial tax (registration) department has revised the rates of the Chhattisgarh market price, which comes into effect from April 1, and has been extended by one month to May.
The last date for depositing property tax in urban bodies of the state, has been extended from March 31 to April 30.
License has been issued to two distilleries for the manufacture of industrial alcohol-based hand sanitizer (hand rub solution) as part of measures to prevent coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
The government has decided to give special allowance to the staff of the health department engaged in the treatment of coronavirus patients.
In addition, employers of all private institutions, factories, hospitals, malls, restaurants among others of the state, have been directed not to lay off workers and employees and those ill due to the coronavirus outbreak or due to other reasons.
This apart, directives have been given to provide paid leave to employees in case of need, while instructions have been given to allow employees to work from their homes as and when required.
Due to a ban on electricity meter reading and billing of low pressure consumers until 3, a one-time lump sum bill will be given under the “electricity scheme at half rate" for two months.
