NE NEWS SERVICE
GANDHINAGAR, APRIL 1
Adding one more feather to its cap of glory as the Model State of the country, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Wednesday held the weekly Cabinet meeting through video-conference amid the lockdown in the wake of coronavirus outbreak.
મુખ્યમંત્રીશ્રી વિજયભાઈ રૂપાણીએ રાજ્યના 65 લાખ ગરીબ શ્રમજીવી અસંગઠિત કામદારો બાંધકામ શ્રમિકો માટે આર્થિક સહાયનું રૂ.650 કરોડનું પેકેજ જાહેર કરતા જણાવ્યું કે રાજ્યની સંવેદનશીલ સરકારે લૉકડાઉનની સ્થિતીમાં આવા પરિવારોના ખાતામાં રુ.1000 ની રોકડ સહાય આપવાનો મહત્વપૂર્ણ નિર્ણય કર્યો છે. pic.twitter.com/vs0SFce0i5
— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) April 1, 2020
In a release, the state government claimed that this was for the first time in the country that a Cabinet meeting was organised using such a facility.
વર્તમાન કોરોના વાયરસની સ્થિતિમાં પ્રજાહિતની અવિરત કામગીરીના ઉદ્દાત ભાવથી મુખ્યમંત્રીશ્રી વિજયભાઈ રૂપાણીએ આજે નાયબ મુખ્યમંત્રીની હાજરીમાં જિલ્લા મથકોમાં રહેલા મંત્રીમંડળના સભ્યો સાથે વીડિયો કોન્ફરન્સથી કેબિનેટ બેઠક યોજી હતી. આ પ્રકારનો પ્રયોગ દેશભરમાં પ્રથમવાર ગુજરાતે કર્યો છે. pic.twitter.com/LtORl7cJWd
— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) April 1, 2020
While Rupani and his deputy Nitin Patel attended the meeting from the CM’s official residence in Gandhinagar, other ministers joined from different locations across the state through video conferencing, it said.
Rupani and Patel were accompanied by Home Minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja, Education minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, Chief Secretary Anil Mukim, and State DGP Shivanand Jha.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Rupani said he had not stepped out of his house since March 20.
“It is important we all adhere to the PM’s call of social distancing and remain inside the ‘Laxman Rekha’. I have not stepped out of my house since March 20. Today, I chaired the Cabinet meet via video conference,” the CM added.
Govt defers retirement of health staff by 2 months: Nitin Patel
Gujarat Health Minister Nitin Patel on Wednesday said the retirement of employees of the health and family welfare department will be deferred by two months amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The minister also announced that private medical practitioners would be recruited by government medical colleges and hospitals to maintain the strength of the public healthcare system during the viral outbreak.
Speaking to reporters here, Patel said health department employees, who were scheduled to retire on March 31, will continue to work till May 31 because of the pandemic.
“Employees of sub-health centres, primary health centres, community health centres, district, sub-district, and civil hospitals are big support for us (during coronavirus outbreak). They are working hard and round the clock, by conducting surveys or treating patients,” Patel said.
As many of these employees were scheduled to retire on March 31 after completing 58 and 60 years of age (for doctors), the Chief Minister decided to extend their services till May 31, Patel said.
Recruitment for healthcare workers is also underway across the state, the minister said.
“We have also decided to hire private medical practitioners for government hospitals and colleges on ad hoc basis for the 11-month contract period,” he said, adding that the arrangement will help fill the vacancy of doctors and teachers in medical colleges.
Farmers will get a two-month breather to repay loans
Meanwhile, the minister said 24.21 lakh farmers, who are due to repay their loans on March 31, will get a breather of two more months.
“The Central and state governments pay interest on loans that farmers take from cooperative banks and public lenders. Banks lend around Rs 32-35,000 crore to farmers (in Gujarat), interest on these loans are paid by the Central (3 percent) and state (4 percent) governments,” he said.
With markets closed due to the lockdown, farmers are unable to sell their produce anywhere, making it hard for them to repay their short-term loans.
After requesting the RBI and NABARD, the state government has extended the period of loan repayment till May 31, Patel said.
This decision will benefit as many as 24,31,149 farmers in the state and will put an additional burden of Rs 160 crore on the state government in repayment of interest, he added.
