Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday directed officials to start community kitchens to provide food to the poor and migrant labourers amid the lockdown imposed to stop the spread of coronavirus. In a review meeting with the officials over the COVID-19 outbreak in the state, CM Yogi Adityanath asked them to ensure that there is no scarcity of food for labourers, daily wage workers, street vendors, handcart pullers and others and that they are provided with proper meals during the course of lockdown.
Yogi Adityanath instructed the UP administration officials to operate community kitchens so that no one in the state starves during the lockdown period. A spokesperson for the UP government said that the CM told the officers in the COVID-19 review meeting that none of the labourers, handcart pullers, street vendors, daily wage workers and other needy people should face any difficulties in getting food to feed themselves and their families.
The chief minister asked the officials to work in conjunction with the Commissioner of Agricultural Production for the food requirements of people in the state. “It must be ensured that no person is distressed because of unavailability of food,” Yogi reportedly said.
Yogi Adityanath orders free ration to people for months, directs authorities to transport migrant labours back to their respective villages
Earlier last week, Yogi Adityanath government had announced free rations for two months in May and June to Antyodya cardholders through the Public Distribution System (PDS).
The state government said that the free ration was in addition to free ration being made available to ration-cardholders by the Central government under the NFSA in May and June.
Last month, the Yogi Adityanath government had asked officials to safely transport stranded migrant workers to their respective destinations after they had returned from Delhi and Maharashtra following the lockdown imposed in the states on account of the rising number of COVID-19 cases.
Yogi Adityanath government steps up efforts to ensure oxygen, remdesivir and hospital beds for COVID-19 patients
The Yogi Adityanath government had also stepped up efforts to ensure there is no scarcity of oxygen, key medicines and hospital beds to fight the resurgent wave of the coronavirus outbreak. The UP government also directed the state-run and private hospitals in the state to provide Remdesivir injections to the critically ill COVID-19 patients free of cost.
Furthermore, to avert an emergency crisis, Yogi Adityanath said that every district of Uttar Pradesh will be provided with 1,800 spare Remdesivir vials, in case those in dire need can procure from the administration without having to wait. These vials will be sold to patients at a fixed cost.
The Yogi Adityanath government has also designated one oxygen refiller in each district so that oxygen could be supplied to those who are home isolated.
Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in the state, the UP government has taken measures to stop black-marketing of essential drugs, including Remdesivir. To curb the illegal sale of essential drugs, the CM has ordered to slap NSA (National Security Act) against people who are involved in black-marketing of Covid-19 medicines.