Over 80% wheat crop harvested; majority of ‘mandis’ operational now amid COVID-19 lockdown: MHA

New Delhi: Over 80 per cent of the wheat crop has been harvested within the nation and a majority of “mandis” are operational now, a senior authorities official stated on Monday. Punya Salila Srivastava, a joint secretary within the Union house ministry, advised reporters that over two crore folks bought employment in water conservation and irrigation works underneath the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) within the nation until now.

While 80 per cent of the wheat crop has been harvested, about 2,000 or 80 per cent of the key “mandis” (wholesale markets) are operational within the nation now, she stated, including that this throughout a press briefing on the measures taken to implement the continuing lockdown, which was imposed with the intention to interrupt the chain of COVID-19 within the nation.

According to a survey performed, about 60 per cent food-processing models are operational within the nation, she stated, including that moreover, 2,825 models and about 350 export-oriented models are additionally useful within the particular financial zones (SEZs) now.

Construction exercise, brick kilns and highway initiatives have began in rural areas and therefore, native and migrant labourers are getting work once more, the officer stated.

Talking in regards to the actions which were allowed by the federal government to make sure important provides and that works go on in the course of the ongoing lockdown, Srivastava stated the procurement of pulses and oil seeds is occurring. 

Salila Srivastava stated the “Kisan Rath” cell software has eased promoting and buying between farmers and merchants in the course of the lockdown as over?80,000 farmers and 70,000 merchants are registered on the app, including “It is important that we keep all caution while doing these activities and follow the social-distancing, wearing-of-mask norms, hygiene and health protocols.” 

She additionally briefed the reporters in regards to the work and proposals made by the inter-ministerial central groups (IMCTs) that have been despatched to a few of the worst coronavirus-hit locations within the nation similar to Pune (Maharashtra) and Jaipur (Rajasthan).

Srivastava stated the native administration in these two districts is working diligently to fight the COVID-19 state of affairs and underlined that in Pune, the second-largest metropolis in Maharashtra after Mumbai, the doubling charge of the an infection is a reason for concern.

In Pune, the central workforce toured the containment zones of Pimpri-Chinchwad, Kharadwadi and Baramati, other than shelter camps for migrant labourers, vegetable markets, PDS retailers, the municipal company management room and hospitals.
It discovered that in Pune, the COVID-19 doubling charge is seven days, which is barely larger in comparison with the remainder of the nation, Srivastava stated.

While the nation’s common is one positive coronavirus case amongst 23 samples, in Pune, it’s 9 samples, she added.
The workforce instructed that high-risk folks ought to be recognized shortly and surveillance, testing and contact-tracing ought to be elevated, Srivastava stated.

In slums, markets and different locations the place social-distancing norms aren’t being adopted correctly, protocols should be enforced strictly, she added. Instead of home-quarantine, institutional-quarantine is crucial in slums, Srivastava stated, citing the IMCT suggestions for Pune.

Doctors, paramedics, police personnel, vegetable distributors and different important services-providing shopkeepers have been discovered to be COVID-19 positive in Pune and it’s a matter of concern as they arrive involved with many individuals every single day, she stated.
The IMCT instructed that it ought to be ensured that protocols are adopted strictly by the frontline staff in order that they don’t contract the virus and turn into its carriers in the middle of their responsibility.

Srivastava stated the workforce additionally held a dialogue via video-conferencing with the chief minister and different senior officers of Maharashtra.

In Jaipur, she stated, the central workforce that was headed by an extra secretary-rank officer and had well being and catastrophe administration specialists, went to hospitals, quarantine centres, containment zones and reduction camps for labourers.

The workforce met the chief secretary of Rajasthan and different officers and instructed that strict steps ought to be taken in order that the lockdown shouldn’t be violated within the walled metropolis in the course of the night hours.

The workforce instructed that ration and different provides ought to be extra systematic, quarantine camps ought to be taken away from residential areas and requested state authorities authorities to extend the velocity of test outcomes. It additionally instructed that non-COVID-19 hospitals ought to be recognized in order that individuals are capable of get different healthcare services, Srivastava stated.

She stated, “The IMCTs found out that the local administration in both districts (Pune and Jaipur) is working with dedication and with these suggestions, they will be able to better the situation.” 

The COVID-19 chain can solely damaged when the lockdown guidelines are adopted diligently and for this, it will be significant that the state governments take sturdy motion towards lockdown violations, Srivastava stated.