Panchayati raj institutions activated to curb Covid spread: Bihar minister Samrat Choudhary

PATNA: The state government has activated the three-tier panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) to contain the spread of coronavirus in rural areas. Panchayati raj minister Samrat Choudhary said 3 crore masks have already been distributed among people and 45,000 villages are being sanitised in the state.
He said the panchayati raj bodies and field officials of the panchayati raj department have launched a four-pronged campaign to contain the spread of the pandemic. “The district and sub-divisional hospitals as well as the block-level primary health centres (PHCs) have been strengthened by the zila parishads and panchayat samitis,” Chaudhary told this newspaper.
“It was anticipated that the pandemic, in its second wave, might hit the villages. Accordingly, we alerted the district and block-level panchayati raj officials on time and continued issuing directives and guidelines to them periodically,” Chaudhary said.
The Centre has provided Rs 741 crore for the same on the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission, he said, adding the funds are being utilised to purchase masks from the Jeevika didis and support other necessary steps.
District and sub-divisional hospitals as well as the PHCs are also being strengthened with the same fund. “These hospitals are being provided additional beds, oxygen cylinders and oxygen concentrators,” Chaudhary said, adding the target is to provide masks to 14 crore people.
He said the ward management committees in every panchayat have been asked to identify the outsiders who reach any village as well as persons showing Covid symptoms so that their testing could be done.
While the elderly people, pregnant women, children and those with serious ailments are being given extra attention, the panchayat secretaries have been asked to ensure sanitisation of religious places, community buildings, panchayat sarkar bhavans, village haats and bazaars and all other public places.
“Block-level panchayati raj officers have been asked to submit daily reports to the district panchayati raj officers, who, in turn, will send detailed integrated reports to the state headquarters,” the minister said.