Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi on
Wednesday advised the state government to relax some restrictions in order to push forward the economy that has been hit hard due to the ongoing lockdown.
In a review meeting with top officials, including the chief secretary and the director general of police, Mukhi said the government machinery should be in the process of framing an action plan using the right mixture of resumption of economic activities and adherence to adequate social distancing.
"Mukhi said since the outbreak of novel coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown have hit the economy hard, the government should give some relaxations to lend its inherent strength to state's economy, at the same time adhering to some restrictions to save precious lives from COVID-19," an official release said.
He said fiscal prudence coupled with subsequent relaxations of lockdown protocols to resume economic activities will bring back the state's economy on the right trajectory.
After the preventive and assiduous management of COVID-19 pandemic, the state has achieved success in breaking the chain of transmission and containing the virus, which is visible from its tally of active cases in the state, Mukhi claimed.
Assam has reported 37 positive cases so far, but the Union ministry of health and family welfare website has put the figure at 38.
"Economy has to be opened. Agriculture and allied activities have gradually been allowed along with pharmaceutical industry. Under such circumstances, social distancing has to be emphasised so that we can achieve two- pronged success in strengthening the economy and defeating the virus," Mukhi said.
He asked the chief secretary to motivate social and other organisations to implement the efficacy of social distancing initiatives at the local level and empower people to fight against the virus.
The governor also said the deputy commissioners of the
districts should see that even if the industrial units give undertakings to follow the social distancing measures, the officials should personally ensure that the norms are maintained.
In the meeting, Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna gave a detailed report of the activities of various departments and apprised Mukhi of different initiatives that the government has been taking to deal with the COVID-19 situation.
The Director General of Police Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta briefed the governor about the activities carried out by the Assam Police and the protocols of lockdown compliance.
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