Rawat for economic activities outside containment zones

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Monday sought the Centre's permission to reopen residential schools and resumption of economic activities outside containment zones in the state.

Participating in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's video conference with chief ministers to discuss the corona situation, Rawat advocated steps to revive the tourism and hospitality industry, saying it had been hit hard by the pandemic.

The chief minister suggested resumption of economic activities outside containment zones and starting tourist activities in green zones of the state in a limited manner.

Rawat apprised the Prime Minister with the steps taken by the state government to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Nearly 500 doctors and as many paramedics were deployed to ramp up facilities to battle the pandemic, Rawat said at Modi's video conferencing with chief ministers.

Corona testing facilities have also been increased in the state besides setting up ICUs in 11 out of 13 districts and installation of ventilators and BiPAP' machines, he said.

These efforts have helped the state government contain the number of COVID-19 positive cases to 68 so far out of which 46 have been discharged after recovery, Rawat said.

The rate of doubling of COVID-19 cases is 45 days while the recovery rate is 67.6 per cent, he said.

Over 45,000 migrants have so far been brought back to the state at the state government's expenses. Migrants are also being brought in trains from Surat and Pune, the chief minister said.

Rs 2,000 have been credited into accounts of two lakh labourers and production work has been resumed with 45 per cent staff deployment in 3,500 industries, Rawat said.

The chief minister also thanked Prime Minister Modi for the timely imposition of the lockdown which had succeeded tremendously as a containment measure countrywide and the guidelines issued by the Centre from time to time for effective handling of the pandemic.

Not a single person has been allowed to go hungry during the lockdown with large-scale arrangements made by the state government and the social organisations, he said.

Labour laws have been amended and initiatives taken towards contract farming, Rawat said and also made a pitch for creation of a single window system for farmers on the lines of the one for the industries.