Gujarat CM ensures the welfare of fishermen amidst the lockdown
Gandhinagar: Chief Minister Mr.Vijay Rupani has taken a number of welfare decisions to ensure the ease of citizens amidst the lockdown, especially the farmers, labourers and the like.
Adding one more to this, Mr. Rupani has taken a decision to benefit the fishermen of Gujarat.
Providing details about the CM’s decision, Secretary to the CM Mr. Ashwani Kumar said, “ The nation wide lockdown amidst the COVID-19 crisis prevented the fishermen to go for fishing which affected their source of income. Chief Minister Mr. Rupani has provided the much needed relaxation to the fishermen in Gujarat by allowing them to fish during the lockdown. The government has started to issue tokens for the same. Further, all the associated units such as those related to the packaging of sea food, cold storages, maintenance and transport etc shall also be allowed to operate amidst the lockdown.”
The CM has also taken a welfare oriented decision for 4.43 lakh BPL women and girls. Government of India has announced an ex-gratia grant of Rs.500 per month for April and May. 97,474 women and girls will avail this assistance from GOI. The remaining 3 lakh 47 thousand 417 women and girls will receive the same grant from the state government. The state government will bear an additional burden of Rs. 34.64 crores for the same.
The Secretary also added that the Chief Minister is keeping a strict watch on the distribution of essential items across Gujarat so that hoarding and black marketing can be avoided in such difficult times. Recently, it was brought to his attention that 7 people from Sabarkantha were involved in diverting the flow of food grains. The CM directed the local administration to book them under PMB Act and put them in prison.
10,358 calls and more than 18,000 emails have been done from the district level to instruct factories and industrial units to pay wages to their employees and not fire them during the lockdown. 20,214 firms have paid Rs. 1,269 crore as salaries to 7.35 lakh workers in the state during lockdown. He also said that a committee of 3 senior officers headed by the ACS of Labour and Employment Department has been formed to ensure timely wages and continuation of employment for labourers.
Providing details of essential items, he said, “45.94 lakh liters of milk has been distributed. 1 lakh 5 thousand 844 quintals of vegetables and 19365 quintals of fruits are available in the market.”
89 lakh 69 thousand food packets have been distributed for the aged, helpless and needy living alone.
Around 231 calls have been received on the state’s helpline number 1070 for assistance related to provision of essential items and 1555 calls at the district helpline number 1077.