Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Guaba today directed to notify and publicize the hospitals that have been dedicated as COVID-19 hospitals and to equip them with all required necessary medical facilities. This direction came through video conference meeting with Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories wherein he asked for aggressive contact tracing and to put all those people in isolation to control the spread. While commending the role of health workers fighting COVID-19, Guaba stressed on protecting these frontline warriors by taking care of their genuine needs. Cabinet Secretary reiterated that officials should ensure that lockdown restrictions remains effective for remaining two weeks in the entire country, to contain the spread of pandemic and emphasized on maintaining supply chain, ensuring uninterrupted movement of essential goods and putting strong check on movement of migrant labors. With regard to the measures that have taken to curb the rumor mongering, the meeting was apprized that the Information & Broadcast Ministry has created a cell to burst fake news circulating among people on coronavirus. He asked the States/UTs to be fully prepared for disbursement of PMGKY relief package as the funds have to be transferred into the accounts of the beneficiaries through DBT mode. He said that more bank staff should be allowed to attend their duties and movement passes need to be provided to them for the purpose. He asked the Chief Secretaries to convene SLBC meetings and discuss the plan of action with the Regional/Zonal heads of both Public and Private Banks operational in their respective states/UTs. Further, the Deputy Commissioners at district level should also take meetings with the banks to finalize arrangements in this regard. Cabinet Secretary also asked the States/UTs to ensure smooth distribution of ration under PM Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) in which 80 crore poor people in the country will get 5 kg wheat or rice and 1 kg of preferred pulses for free every month for the next three months.
