In order to further strengthen and upscale the offensive against COVID-19 spread, the Government today ordered release of Rs 40 crore additionally to all Deputy Commissioners to support their corona mitigation efforts.
This was decided in a highlevel meeting here today chaired by Chief Secretary, B V R Subrahmanyam.
Principal Secretary, Home,Shaleen Kabra; Principal Secretary, Housing & Urban Development, DheerajGupta; Principal Secretary, Planning & Development & Information, RohitKansal; Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Sanjeev Verma; Inspector General, Jammuzone Mukesh Singh; Secretary, PDD, M Raju; Secretary, DMRR, Simrandeep Singhand other senior officers were present in the meeting.
Divisional Commissioner,Kashmir, P. K. Pole; IGP, Kashmir zone, Vijay Kumar and senior officers ofKashmir province attended the meeting through video conferencing.
The meeting also decided to release Rs one crore to the JalShakti (PHE) Department to augment drinking water supply in the Jammu andKashmir. The Jammu and Srinagar Municipal Corporations, it was decided, wouldalso be released additional Rs. 50 lakh each to augment their sanitationefforts. Other Municipal Committees of the J&K would also be releasedadditional funds accordingly.
In another significant decision, it was decided thatinterstate borders with Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh UT would be fullysealed. Similarly inter district movement of vehicles would also be restrictedas per requirement. However, all essential vehicles would ply normally and theJammu-Srinagar National Highway would also be regulated.
Taking a very serious note of reports of some travellersskipping screening and self-declaration at arrival points or falsifying anyinformation regarding their travel, the Chief Secretary directed strictchecking at entry points of Qazigund and Lower Munda besides at other entrypoints, airports and bus stands. Action, he said, should be initiated againstthose putting others at risk.
The meeting also decided that advance ration for two monthsviz. April and May would be issued to all eligible consumers. Besides, onemonth’s ration for Mid-Day Meals would also be given in advance to all parentsof eligible children.
The Chief Secretary also directed to keep all treasuries inJammu & Kashmir open to facilitate drawal of bills in view of the closureof financial year.