Amidst the coronavirus crisis, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan took a morale-boosting move and announced that industrial activities would be allowed in all the districts. However, the list exempts the worst-hit districts- Indore, Bhopal and Ujjain. Other than the worst-hit districts, the economic activities will be limited in the orange and green zones, the activities for which would resume from April 20.
Apart from Indore, Bhopal and Ujjain, the rest of the state is in these two zones. Complete lockdown will continue in the red three.
As per the move, subject to their conformation with central government guidelines, the construction activities, work under MNREGA and industrial activities would be allowed in all the other districts. Shops will also be allowed to open but norms of social distancing will have to be followed by all.
Procurement of Rabi crops is also being carried out and the government is committed to procure every grain of farmers’ produce. In addition to this, if traders give farmers proper rate of their produce, they can sell it to them as well. The compulsion of buying crops from mandis is being relaxed and traders can buy wheat and other produce from farmers’ homes or set up their own procurement centres.
Blaming the former government for not paying the premium for crop insurance scheme, the CM stated that a premium of Rs 2200 crore has been paid now. Furthermore, Rs 3,000 crore would be deposited in the accounts of lakhs of farmers of the state.
The farmers have been urged to come to mandis only when called for procurement and take proper precautions and cover their face. As soon as the situation will come under control in Indore and Bhopal, relaxing of the complete lockdown will be considered in these places as well.
The chief minister advised that in areas where relaxation is being given, elderly people, children and those with illnesses, especially lung disorders, should avoid coming out of their houses.
