Despite spiraling COVID-19 and deaths due to deadly virus, Punjab ruled out a complete lockdown in the state but announced more restrictions stringent than the lockdown conditions.
During the last 24 hours, Punjab witnessed a surge in caseload with 7,601 testing positive - the highest one-day spike since the pandemic started last year. The state also witnessed 173 people succumbing to the virus during the same period. The previous highest single-day count of 7327 cases had been recorded on May 2.
Virtually chairing a cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister compared the Punjab restrictions with the curbs in place in states like Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Kerala, among others, and pointed out that it was not necessary to impose a total lockdown.
The Chief Minister said to meet the immediate and urgent needs of the people at the local level, it had been decided by the government to authorize Sarpanches to spend up to Rs. 5,000 per day, subject to a maximum of Rs 50,000, out of Panchayat Funds for providing emergency relief by way of food & medicines to the poor and needy in the villages. All Urban Local Bodies have also been empowered to provide emergency relief, including food and medicines to the poor and needy, from the Municipal Fund.
Food Department asked to prepare 5 lakh food pockets
The Chief Minister ordered limiting the number of teachers in government schools to 50%, with the rest taking online classes from home. He also directed the Food Department to prepare 5 lakh additional food packets for distribution among COVID patients, to ensure that every patient individually gets a packet even where there is more than one patient in a family.
The state government has also announced an additional 10 kg, Atta, for 1.41 crore Smart Ration Card beneficiaries. The food aid is in addition to the 1 lakh food kits, containing 10 Kg Atta, 2 Kg Chana, and 2 Kg sugar already sanctioned for all poor people testing positive with Covid. It is also additional to the food aid announced by the Government of India.
Probe ordered against private hospitals for overcharging
As Finance Minister Manpreet Badal has brought to the cabinet's notice instances of private hospitals overcharging COVID patients despite fixing of rates. The Chief Minister directed the Health Department to investigate the matter and take stringent action against such private hospitals.
