NE NEWS SERVICE
GANDHINAGAR, APRIL 12
The Central and Gujarat governments are collectively distributing the welfare aid worth Rs 6,210 crore to the poor who are worst-hit by the national coronavirus lockdown, a senior state government official said here on Sunday.
While the Gujarat government has allocated Rs 2,260 crore under various welfare schemes, the Centre’s share is Rs 3,950 crore, he said.
“Both the governments have allocated about Rs 6,210 crore under various schemes to help the poor and vulnerable sections of society during the lockdown,” said Ashwani Kumar, Secretary to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
He said the Central government has transferred Rs 2,000 to each farmer who is the beneficiary of the PM Krishi Sahay Yojana, and also provided the monetary assistance to widows, the disabled and elderly people as the ex gratia pension.
A total of Rs 1,100 crore was transferred directly into the 74 lakh Jan Dhan Yojna accounts of women, Kumar said.
“Moreover, gas cylinders worth around Rs 630 crore were provided to 28 lakh Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries in Gujarat. With this and several other assistance, the Central government has provided benefits of around Rs 3,950 crore to the poor of the state,” he said.
At the same time, the Gujarat government has allocated Rs 2,260 crore under various packages to the poor through free ration distribution to cardholders and migrant labourers stuck due to the curbs.
#कोरोनावायरस से बचने के लिए @AhmedabadPolice का नया प्रयोग। PCR VAN को मोबाइल सैनेटाइज़िंग चैंबर में परिवर्तित किया।ये वैन ड्यूटी पॉइंट पर खड़े पुलिसकर्मियों के पास जाकर उन्हें डिसिन्फेक्ट करेगी,बस इसमे आधा मिनट बैठना होता है।
— Gujarat Information (@InfoGujarat) April 12, 2020
This includes payment of Rs 1,000 to each poor beneficiary through the direct cash transfer; payment of interest on farm loans; waiver of electricity bills etc. They also comprise mid-day meal beneficiaries among others, he said.
An amount of Rs 24 crore has also been allocated to about 8.5 lakh cow sheds in Gujarat at the rate of Rs 25 per day for each of them, Kumar added.
Govt issues guidelines for APMCs to open after lockdown
With the Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) across the state looking to resume operations post-April 14, the Gujarat government has issued guidelines to ensure containment of COVID-19 spread at the market yards.
APMCs engaged in grains, pulses and oilseeds had seen an impact, thereby several of them shutting down amidst the 21-day lockdown announced by the Centre. Now, while the Centre and states are planning to extend lockdown, the market yards are gearing up to resume operations. However, the state government has now issued guidelines asking APMCs to prepare in advance before resuming operations, Business Standard reported.
We feel proud and fortunate that we got chance to serve our motherland.
You can too serve our motherland by staying in your home.
We are there for you always.#IndiaFightsCorona#StayHomeStaySafe#TogetherForIndia@dgpgujarat @GujaratPolice @AhmedabadPolice @CMOGuj pic.twitter.com/LsxUCW2TEj
— Vadodara City Police (@Vadcitypolice) April 11, 2020
“Amidst the lockdown, the government is ensuring that essential items are made available to citizens. Currently, most of the grain market yards are closed across the state due to lockdown. Post lockdown with several farmers, wholesale and retail traders and consumers likely to come to market yards for the trading of grains and vegetables there is a potential to further spread the coronavirus. As a result, several steps are required to be taken by the market yards amidst the current situation during trading of grains, pulses and oilseeds,” a letter by the director of Agriculture Marketing and Rural Finance, Government of Gujarat to all APMCs stated.
Among the guidelines, the market yards are being advised to take varied measures to ensure social distancing and sanitisation of premises. For instance, the government has suggested division of the market yard into a separate segment for different commodities with farmers trading in each commodity being assigned specific date and time in advance to come to the yard for trading their produce.
Senior citizens cell and Nirbhya cell of Vadodra City Police is constantly visiting senior citizens to help them and for their counselling.#StayHomeStaySafe#HelpUsToHelpYou#TogetherForIndia pic.twitter.com/u0tpCxti16
— Vadodara City Police (@Vadcitypolice) April 11, 2020
The letter asks APMCs to allot separate date and time between farmers from their jurisdictions and those from other jurisdictions or districts.
“In the current auction system, after farmers have brought their produce to the market, around 15-20 traders gather for auction with the total number of people at the market tending to be around 30-40. In such cases, maintaining social distance becomes difficult. Therefore, it is suggested that as much as possible the current auction system be done away with, thereby arranging for direct purchase by traders and commission agents from framers at the farm level and not gather at the yard as much as possible,” the letter suggests.
Other measures include mandatory face masks and hand gloves, sanitisation at entry, and alternate platforms being assigned for trading of each commodity at the market yards, with circles drawn to assign spots for each farmer or trader while trading to maintain social distancing.
ALERT: Masks mandatory for all in Ahmedabad from Monday, April 13. Those not wearing it will be fined Rs 5,000 and even FIR can be filed against those refusing to do so: Municipal Commissioner Vijay Nehra
LIVE updates- https://t.co/24IDdPpfPx pic.twitter.com/RCTJNBi9wy
— Ahmedabad Mirror (@ahmedabadmirror) April 12, 2020
Courtesy: Ahmedabad Mirror
“All entering the market yards should sanitise themselves before entering and should wear hand gloves mandatorily. If the yard is small, then the number of people entering the market may be limited and if required nearby unoccupied spaces such as schools or colleges can also be leased for trading activities other than the market yard to ensure social distancing,” the letter further read.
Morbi police arrest two for using drone to deliver tobacco
Even as the whole world is battling the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak and imposing nationwide lockdowns to stop the spread of the deadly pathogen, people addicted to intoxicants are finding it especially difficult to cope in these times. On Sunday, two persons from Morbi were arrested for buying and selling tobacco using a drone.
The Morbi Police took both the buyer and the seller into custody after the persons uploaded videos of them executing the deal using a drone. The video which was uploaded on social media platform Tik Tok, shows a small package dangling from a drone while the operator guides the machine to the alleged buyer.
The video went viral, and after the police came to know about the exchange they arrested both of them and has seized the drone.
