Uninterrupted maintenance of inter-state medical products

Assam Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal on Thursday informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the state government's preparedness in dealing with the situation arising out of COVID-19 outbreak.

Participating in a video conference with the PM attended by other chief ministers, Sonowal said so far 16 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the state.

They have been put in isolation at government hospitals and so far 67,436 people quarantined at various government facilities or home, he said.

Sonowal highlighted the need for uninterrupted maintenance of inter-state supply-chain of medical products from states where such products are manufactured to other states so patients could be treated effectively, an official release issued by the Chief Minister's Office said.

He informed Modi that five new COVID-19 hospitals have been planned to be set up at Dibrugarh, Guwahati, Lakhimpur, Silchar and Bongaigaon.

Besides, medical colleges are being converted to COVID-19 hospitals after diverting other patients to private hospitals and the state government would bear expenses of such patients.

Modi was also appraised of other programmes such as training of doctors and paramedical staff, 1,000- bedded quarantine facility at the Sarusajai Stadium here.

The state government has taken steps to cover 58 lakh families by the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and to provide rice to them free of cost from April 1.

Apart from them, 5 lakh poor, destitute and homeless families who are presently not covered under the NFSA are being provided Rs 1,000 per family and Rs 2,500 are being transferred to the bank accounts of 6 lakh marginal and small farm families under Chief Ministers Krishi Sa Sajuli Yojana.

He also said Rs 1,000 will be transferred to the bank account of 2.78 lakh construction workers registered under Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board.

Further, the state government has also decided to transfer 2,000 dollars to the residents of the state who are stranded abroad for a month, he said.

State police machinery and para-military forces have been deployed to ensure complete compliance of the lockdown norms in the State.

He also said each minister of the state government has been assigned two districts to guide district administrations in their preparedness.

Besides, Sonowal said he personally had visited 13 districts during the past one week while Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited all the medical colleges, district hospitals to oversee preparedness.

Highlighting the steps taken for migrant daily labours from other states who are stranded in Assam due to lockdown, the chief minister said they have been provided shelter and ration by the Assam Government.

Moreover, people from Assam who are stranded in other states due to lockdown are being provided assistance like food, accommodation, medical support, transportation in coordination with Assam Bhawans and Assam Houses and concerned district administrations of those states, Sonowal said.

The chief minister also informed that more than 1,000 under trial prisoners have been released on PR bond as per the recommendation of the High Power Committee, besides, quarantine facilities were arranged in every jail.

The prime minister appreciated the steps taken by the state government, made several suggestions to be followed by the state governments and appealed to all to work as a team to tide over the present crisis.