Haryana launches website for lockdown passes, helpline numbers; wheat procurement from April 20

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 26

Haryana Chief Minister Manoharlal Khattar on Thursday launched a website --  covidssharyana.in -- where grocery dealers, milk sellers and chemists can register themselves for home delivery of commodities to people in the state.

The Chief Minister also said that e-passes would be issued from today for delivery boys and all those who have to come out for supply of essential commodities.

Khattar assured people that the government would provide all possible help in the fight against coronavirus.

He announced helpline numbers 1075 and 1100, where people could approach the government for any kind of issue related to Covid and the lockdown.

Sharing concerns of farmers, Khattar said the government was aware that the mustard crop was almost ready for harvesting and wheat harvest was also not far.

“We will have to delay the procurement of the crops because of the lockdown, but I want to assure farmers that every single grain of their produce will be procured,” Khattar said, announcing April 15 for the start of procurement of mustard and April 20 for the wheat crop.

The announced extension in the last date of repayment of cooperative loans by farmers from April 15 till the procurement of their crops and he assured that no interest would be charged from them for the extended period.

Khattar also announced the ex-gratia amount for doctors performing duty on Covid-19 patients to Rs 50 lakh from Rs 10 lakh announced earlier.

He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 30 lakh for nurses and Rs 20 lakh for others.

The CM said that five labs had already been set up in the state for the testing of Covid and two more will be set up very soon.

He said 2,500 beds have been set up for isolation of Covid patients in the state while 6,500 beds for providing quarantine facility to the suspected patients had also been set up.

Khattar said Rs 5.84 crore had so far been collected for the Haryana Covid Relief Fund. As many as 2,000 people had thus far contributed to it.

He said 12.56 lakh people were registered with the state government under the Mukhyamantri Parivaar Smridhi Yojna. Funds would be transferred to these families soon.

Besides, 3.85 families registered under the Construction Labour Welfare Board would also be paid Rs 1,000 per week as financial aid.