Coronavirus: Haryana decides to keep retiring doctors in service

Haryana on Wednesday decided to extend the terms of government doctors and others involved in essential services who are set to retire this month.

Haryana Chief Secretary Keshni Anand Arora disclosed the state government's decision at a crisis coordination committee meeting on tackling the spread of coronavirus.

She said the government has decided to extend the services of medical and paramedical staff members and others engaged in essential services, a press statement said.

It said proposals would be sent by the concerned administrative departments to the state's Finance department.

A day earlier, the state government had announced that it is immediately sending out appointment letters to 447 recently selected doctors.

Health Minister Anil Vij had also said the government has started preparing a list of retired doctors to make use of their services, if required.

At another meeting, held through video conferencing, Arora told divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners to work out mechanisms to ensure that every household gets essential commodities during the nationwide lockdown to fight coronavirus.

She asked them to ensure that there is no problem in the movement of essential commodities during the lockdown.

The chief secretary said police should allow people to go out to buy essential commodities while maintaining social distancing.

Entire Haryana went under lockdown on Tuesday, a day before the nationwide restrictions announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicked in.

In some districts, the lockdown had begun even earlier.

In the meeting with the DCs, Arora asked them to upload lists of vegetable, milk and grocery vendors, along with the contact numbers, on their websites so that people can get essential commodities at their doorstep.

She said all deputy commissioners should remain in contact with wholesalers and retailers to ensure adequate stocks of all essential commodities. Grocery and medicine shops should be kept open for as long as possible so that there is no crowding there.

Arora directed that vehicles transporting essential commodities should carry stickers indicating this, so that police do not stop them repeatedly at checkpoints.

She said the Home Department should give special directions to police personnel to not stop vehicles carrying food and fodder for animals.

She directed officials to make arrangements for directly delivering cooked food to the homeless and daily wage earners, if necessary.