UP to compensate daily earners for livelihood loss due to Covid-19

Schools across the state shut till April 2, while protests and demonstrations banned

In the backdrop of the coronavirus scare expected to hit the livelihood of daily wage earners due to slowing down of economy, the Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday announced to constitute a high-level committee to provide them the required monetary support.

The three-member committee, headed by the UP finance minister and comprising the state agriculture and labour ministers, has been asked by chief minister Yogi Adityanath to submit a report within three days.

“The committee will analyse the situation arising out of the coronavirus outbreak so that the livelihood of the poor and daily wage earners is not affected. The state intends to provide money to these people through the real time gross settlement (RTGS) medium,” UP cabinet minister Shrikant Sharma told the media after the state cabinet meeting chaired by Adityanath.

Besides, the government has banned all forms of protest and demonstrations in the state to protect the general public from this pandemic.

Meanwhile, the CM has directed for the closure of all schools, colleges, and educational institutions till April 2, while also suspending all competitive and academic board examinations. Last week, the schools and colleges were closed till March 22 even as the ongoing exams were not disturbed.

At the same time, all the tourist spots have been closed till March 31, although the process of sanitising these places would continue, he informed while seeking public cooperation to curb the spread of the menace.

“The state government has decided to implement the central government advisory pertaining to coronavirus in totality,” he added.

Sharma said the CM had appealed to the people to avoid crowded places and not to panic on the issue, although the masses should exercise caution and spread awareness.

All the cinema halls and multiplexes have also been ordered to close down till April 2 in UP even as the respective district magistrates have been directed to speed up the awareness campaign through posters and banners.

“At present, the state is under stage II of coronavirus and with effective campaign and public awareness, we can prevent it from reaching the critical stage III,” Sharma underlined.

Meanwhile, the government has advised the private companies to allow their employees to work from home, while a committee headed by the state chief secretary has been constituted to suggest similar measures for the government employees.

The state government has mandated free treatment of coronavirus patients, while the government and non-government employees have been assured that their salaries would not be cut during the work of home regime.

So far, 13 coronavirus positive cases have been identified in UP at Agra, Lucknow, Noida and Ghaziabad with the Taj City leading the tally with 8 cases. More than 1.3 million travellers have so been screened at the airports and Nepal border check posts.