Asserting that the supply of essential commodities and other goods is normal despite the COVID-19 lockdown, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Tuesday sought continued cooperation of the people to combat the outbreak.
In the last 24 hours, over 1,000 trucks, including 340 trucks of fruit and vegetables and 325 trucks of rations, entered J&K. The availability position is comfortable in both Jammu and Kashmir divisions, Principal Secretary (Planning, Development & Monitoring and Information) Rohit Kansal said.
The supply of essential commodities and other goods is normal, he told reporters here.
Detailed guidelines have already been issued to facilitate essential supplies and functioning of important industries, Kansal added.
Detailed SOPs have been framed and mechanisms for permissions, passes formulated and streamlined, he said.
Kansal added that J&K was among the first in the country to be alert to the problem.
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We had probably the most effective and strict protocols even at the cost of some inconvenience. We feel that a bit of convenience can always be sacrificed to achieve a larger goal. This is where we need your support, the officials, who is also the government spokesperson, said.
He expressed gratitude for the support received from all citizens.
I would request for your continued cooperation. I would also strongly urge all of you to trust the department's judgement whenever some zones are being designated as red zones, Kansal said.
He also asked the people to follow the advisories and said there was no room for complacency.
Our self-restraint and discipline must continue. We should go out only if it is must. Use of masks has been made mandatory for everyone going out. Every member of a priority or AAY household will get one free of cost mask, while others will get it at a subsidy, Kansal said.
He said religious leaders and others have been appealing to avoid all gatherings and people must heed them.
Kansal said the strategy of aggressive tracing and increased testing would continue.
We will further strengthen our surveillance system and procedure. We are launching a unique app, Swasthya Nidhi COVID-19 Health Audit, for monitoring the households under surveillance on real time basis and effectively monitor the health status of the enlisted individuals, he said.
A pilot of this project has already started in Jammu district. We are strongly encouraging the use of Aarogya Setu App. So far, more than 6.5 lakh users have installed the app in the UT, Kansal added.
Regarding welfare measures, he said the same announced by Lt Governor G C Murmu from time to time and by the Centre under the PMGKY are being implemented.
Nearly Rs 100 crore has been released by the UT administration to the deputy commissioners and various departments. Nearly 2.20 lakh destitute, labourers and others across 1,245 camps are being supported across J&K, Kansal said.
He said nearly 10 lakh quintal of food grains, as advance rations of April and May, already stand distributed among card holders.
Distribution of free rations under PMGKY as well as pulses has also started, the principal secretary said, adding that the Labour Department has transferred over Rs 15 crore to nearly 1.5 lakh registered construction workers.
Listing other measures, he said, Over 30,000 private sector employees will benefit under PMGKY scheme.
Similarly 8.5 lakh Jan Dhan account holders have benefitted under PMGKY, while 12.5 lakh beneficiaries are getting benefit of free gas cylinder refills and Rs 183 crore pending payments to MGNREGA workers have been released by the Rural Development Department, the official said.
He added that helplines have been set up by the Resident Commissioner in Delhi, Labour Department, Divisional and Deputy Commissioners and various departments for the benefit of the people, including those stranded outside.
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