The Maharashtra cabinet conducteda meeting for the first time through video conferencing on Tuesday in view of the coronavirus outbreak, with ministers and bureaucrats taking part wearing masks.Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray, Food and Civil Supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal, Revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat and Water Resources minister Jayant Patil participated in the meeting from Varsha, the CM's official residence in the metropolis' Malabar Hill area.Bahujan Welfare minister Vijay Wadettiwar joined from Chandrapur, minister of state for home (rural) Shambhuraje Desai from Satara, minister of state for cooperation minister Balasaheb Patil along with his deputy Vishwajit Kadam took part from Pune, PWD minister Ashok Chavan from Nanded, Energy minister Nitin Raut from Nagpur, and WCD minister Yashomati Thakur joined from Amravati.Higher and Technical Education Minister Uday Samant participated from Ratnagiri collector's office, while Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Home Minister Anil Deshmukh were present in Mantralaya.In the meeting, it was decided to provide Shiv bhojan meals at Rs 5 for the next three months, and extending it to the taluka level, as well as providing foodgrains to orange ration cardholders till June at concessional rates.It was also decided to amend the Maharashtra Charity Management Act to avail financial assistance from charitable trusts to fight the coronavirus outbreak.
