Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh is gearing up for gradual easing of norms as the 21-day pan-India lockdown ends on April 14. The first step in that direction would be facilitating farm operations.
UP, to that extent, would be a test case for other states to follow suit. Speaking to media late evening, CM Yogi Adityanath said, “We have decided to give relief to farmers to harvest and sell their produce. Wheat procurement will start on April 15.
We would encourage institutions to buy from farmers directly but not at a rate less than MSP. Besides, all ministers and government officers -- from chief secretary to under-secretary level officers -- will resume work.’’
Yogi also announced various committees, headed by ministers, which will chalk out plans to ensure supply of essential services such as emergency health services, online education for schools and colleges, functioning of medium and small scale industries and work on expressways which has come to a sudden halt since March 24.
"We need to ensure shield all healthcare staff from corona and, at the same time, facilitate the treatment of patients who need dialysis, cardiac procedure and have some non-corona medical emergency.
Besides, we need to start working on drinking water supply ahead of drought, preparing online curriculum and classes, wheat procurement at MSP and other agriculture work, infra development and even medium and small-scale industries. These sectors resume will work and establish supply chain by adhering to rigorous social distancing norms."
Some of this work will require online support for which a few IT providers will be allowed to operate. Besides, we are planning to allow restaurants to start online delivery of food from April 15 onwards," sources said.
He said, “The committees will take a call on how to function in the ensuing days. Immediate tasks would be ensuring drinking water supply in drought-prone areas like Bundelkhand and harvesting of Rabi crop.”
He also urged people to not hold any public event on Baisakhi (April 13), Ambedkar Jayanti (April 14) and Ramzan (which begins on April 23). The state has reported 483 covid19 cases, including six deaths till April 12.
Food supply has started hitting the people living in 133 hotspots of 15 districts of Uttar Pradesh. Big cities like Noida, Ghaziabad and Lucknow, which have dozens of host spots, are suffering the most. Delivery of milk and ration has stopped.
