The State government has extended the lockdown in view of coronavirus up to April 30.
A resolution to the effect was adopted at Saturday’ Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, and sent to the Centre. Earlier, the lockdown had been declared till April 14.
Mr. Rao told a post-Cabinet press conference that the government would consider lifting the lockdown in phases after April 30. The mood at the day’s video conference of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chief Ministers was also that the lockdown be extended up to April 30. A suggestion by some Chief Ministers that trains be allowed to run till then for the limited purpose of ferrying stranded migrant workers was turned down by Mr. Modi.
The government had resolved to promote children from classes one to nine whose exams could not be conducted due to lockdown. A decision on the SSC exams which were suspended after they were conducted for two subjects would be taken in a few days, he said.
He added that the government may have to announce sealing of inter-State borders with Maharashtra in a day or two as there was a spurt in coronavirus cases across the long border, which is over 600 km.
All religious programmes and mass gatherings would not be permitted till April 30. Only food processing units, including rice, flour and oil mills, would be allowed.
He expected all those under quarantine and undergoing treatment for coronavirus to be discharged by April 24 unless there was a fresh spurt in the spread of the virus. Not a single person in quarantine or treatment was serious.
He said he had requested Mr. Modi to extend the norms applicable for donations to PM CARE to Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The State had requested hike in the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management limit up to 6% of GSDP to enable higher borrowings.
The government would initiate tough action against adulteration of food items. The coronavirus patients would not be allowed to be treated at private hospitals because supervision on them was difficult.
Referring to procurement of foodgrains, which had just begun in villages, he said it was decided to buy bengal gram at minimum support price for ₹800 crore. Already, the government had furnished guarantees for purchase of paddy and maize to the extend of ₹ 30,000 crore.
He denied any relaxation in closure of liquor outlets till the lockdown was lifted.
