Gehlot seeks suggestions of MLAs, MPs of different divisions to tackle COVID-19

To bolster the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday held a video conference with the MLAs and MPs of different divisions of the state and sought their suggestions.

The video conference, which has been planned in various slots for different divisions, started with the Udaipur division on Sunday morning.

Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi stressed that citizens and the government need to change their way of functioning.

He said political parties should try to allay people's fears over the spread of the infection.

During the video conference, Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria raised the issue of migrant labours and claimed that the people with valid movement passes were being made to wait for hours before entering the state.

"A number of labourers are still walking on foot to reach their native places and there are no proper arrangements for food and water, he said.

Kataria said the Congress government needs to focus on tribal areas where hunger is likely to become a major issue in coming days.

BJP MLA Kiran Maheshwari requested the chief minister to allow the opposition party MLAs to carry out inspection of quarantine centres so that improved feedback could be provided to the government.

Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP) MLA Rajkumar Roat suggested Gehlot to make a programme for the revival of old wells in tribal areas through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) which would help tribal people in irrigation and other purposes.

The chief minister, in the video conference, informed the leaders about the works being done by the state government to handle the prevailing COVID-19 situation.

He said the state government wants to take everyone along in the fight against the deadly disease.

Gehlot said Rajasthan's mortality rate, recovery rate and doubling rate of COVID-19 patients are far better than the national average.

Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and members of the council of ministers also attended the video conference.

The chief minister is scheduled to interact with MLAs and MPs of Jodhpur, Bikaner, Bharatpur and Kota division on Sunday evening.

The video conference with the MLAs and MPs from Jaipur and Ajmer divisions will be held on Monday.

There are a total of 3,741 coronavirus cases in the state and 107 people have lost their lives due to the disease.