Rajasthan: CM Gehlot Announces Complete Lockdown Till 31 March To Contain Spread Of COVID-19

In a major decision to contain the spread of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Government of Rajasthan led by Chief Minister (CM) Ashok Gehlot announced an complete lockdown of the State till 31 March, reports The Hindu.

Under the period of lockdown, all Government and private offices, malls, shops, factories and public transport across the State will remain closed, while the State’s borders with other states will also be sealed.

However, essential and medical services have been exempted from the lockdown,

To ensure access to food, more than one crore families of the State covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) will receive wheat free of cost for a period of two months, while free food packets will also be distributed to street vendors, daily wage earners, poor people and needy families in the urban areas.

Furthermore, the State Government has issued the directive that no workers will be laid off from any factory in the State during the period of lockdown while also decreeing that all the labourers will be entitled to leaves with wages.

Gehlot also gave instructions for appointment of a core group, headed by Home Secretary Rajeev Swarup. It will take day-to-day decisions for dealing with the issues arising out of the closure and restrictions and extending relief to common people.