Minister for Municipal Administration and IT K Taraka Rama Rao has called upon all sections of society to cooperate with the authorities as the coming two weeks are crucial to check the spread of COVID-19 in the State.
The Minister made a surprise visit to the Sircilla textile town on Wednesday and interacted with the district officials about the measures being taken to check the spread of the virus. Talking to newsmen, he said there was no medicine for the virus and prevention was the only way to check its spread. “Self-isolation and maintaining good hygiene and wearing masks are crucial to check the virus,” he said.
Appreciating the district authorities for their crusade against the virus, he said rural masses were better than their urban counterparts in checking the spread of the virus. He appealed to urban people to adopt the measures being followed by rural masses such as maintaining social distancing, wearing of masks and hygiene.
Instructing people not to come out of their houses till the completion of the lockdown period, he said the police would deal firmly against violators of lockdown. He said Telangana would emerge COVID-19-free with the team work and cooperation of all sections of society. The district administration was taking care of migrant labourers by providing them all assistance.
Paddy procurement
With regard to paddy procurement during the season, he said there was bumper harvest in the district owing to the abundant availability of water from the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project. Paddy produce which was 1.8 lakh metric tonnes in kharif season had increased to 3.2 lakh metric tonnes. With the KLIP, the upland Rajanna-Sircilla had been transformed on the irrigation front, he said.
Promising to procure paddy from farmers, he said the authorities had decided to open 212 procurement centres and so far opened 139 centres. The authorities had roped in 116 harvesters in the district for the benefit of the farming community.
For the welfare of the power loom weavers during the lockdown, polyster association representatives of the town handed over financial assistance of ₹18 lakh to the Minister and he handed over the cheque to Collector D Krishna Bhaskar.
