Goa: 2.5k home delivery passes, dole for migrant workers

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday said his government had released 2,500 volunteer passes for home delivery of essential items during the 21-day lockdown to combat the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The state has three COVID-19 patients currently.

"We have kept grocery shops open 24x7 but our Govt is promoting home delivery mechanism. We have issued over 2500 volunteer passes. I request everyone to stay at home and opt for home delivery," he tweeted.

Sawant said registered labourers would be given monthly remuneration between Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,000 for the next three months.

"It will cover construction workers and other categories, and benefit over 15,000 people. We have also managed to provide food to 2,500 workers stuck at home due to the lockdown. We are providing them essentials for the next 10 days as well," he said.

He added that migrant camps had been set up at talukas to prevent them from moving about during the lockdown.

He asked people to maintain social distancing norms while buying essentials items at shops.

The condition of the three COVID-19 patients in the state is stable and people they came in constact with have been traced and their samples sent for testing, he said.

The virology lab set up at the Goa Medical College and Hospital will start delivering test reports from Sunday, the CM announced.

State government officials are checking if stranded tourists are getting food and accommodation, he added.