Odisha CM donates three-month salary to help coronavirus-affected people

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has donated his three months' salary to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to help those affected by coronavirus.

Odisha Chief Minister's Office said, "Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has donated his three months' salary to Chief Minister's relief fund to help those affected by Covid-19, reiterating that extraordinary circumstance demands extraordinary response." The Chief Minister has appealed all to donate generously for the cause.

As a precautionary measure to contain the spread of coronavirus, Odisha government on Monday extended the lockdown from five to 14 districts.

The state government has extended lockdown to Puri, Nayagarh, Jagatsinghpur. Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Dhenkanal, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda districts from Tuesday morning till 9 pm on March 29.

Odisha administration has also decided to mark with stickers the houses of those who have been advised home quarantine.

A few days back, the Odisha government had committed Rs 200 crore to its Public Health Response Fund to contain the spread of coronavirus outbreak which has been declared as a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO). CM Patnaik in a statement to the state assembly informed that Covid-19 was declared as a disaster for the state under the provisions of Disaster Management Act, 2005.

Identifying social distance as the only effective measure to combat Coronavirus, the state government has announced that all educational institutions would be shut till March 31, 2020 except for conducting examinations. Official gatherings like seminars, workshops and conferences are to be cancelled. Local authorities will regulate social gatherings and religious congregations. Cinema halls, swimming pools and gyms are to be closed till March 31, 2020.

“The experience of China, Singapore and Italy has given us a learning on what to do and what not to do. I must confess the entire world is on a learning curve about handling this disaster”, Patnaik said.

The state's health & family welfare department and its directorates as well as collectors and municipal commissioners have been authorized to go for emergency procurement of necessary drugs and consumables, equipment and other required services as necessary to prevent, contain and mitigate Covid-19.