Certain relaxations at green zones to be announced on May 1 ...Strong lockdown to continue at containment zones ...Bengal preparing Rs 1.5L cr economic rehabilitation plan, says Mamata

MP | 29 April 2020 | Kolkata: Announcing that Bengal has come up as the first state to prepare a six months' Economic Rehabilitation Plan involving Rs 1.52 lakh crore in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday declared a set of relaxations that would be allowed in green zones from Monday onwards following all precautionary measures. 

The Chief Minister also stressed upon the need to continue physical distancing and use of masks as experts and doctors are of the opinion that all precautionary measures should be strictly followed till the last week of May. This comes when 33 new COVID-19 positive cases were reported in the past 24 hours while 124 people were released till date after their recovery. Most importantly, the state government has been successful in almost 100 per cent utilisation of the capacity of 14 laboratories to test COVID-19 cases. 

Mentioning that none of the states in the country has come up with such a plan yet, Banerjee said: "Our task force has come up with the Economic Rehabilitation Plan involving Rs 1.52 lakh crore for six months. They already worked on the proposal and state Finance Secretary H K Dwivedi himself has looked into it. We are examining the same." State government's top brass including Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha held a marathon meeting on the rehabilitation plan on Wednesday evening. 

Maintaining that there hasn't been much improvement in the situation, Banerjee said: "Strong lockdown will continue at containment zones while a little relaxation would be given at green zones. But the relaxations would be withdrawn if the area once again turns to the orange or red zone." 

Notification in connection with the relaxation in green zones will be issued on May 1 after the concerned authorities prepare a foolproof plan regarding the same. 

She further added: "The Centre is yet to give clarification on the opening of shops. We are waiting for the same but have taken some decisions on giving relaxations in green zones from Monday onwards if everything works fine." 

Banerjee said stand-alone electronic shops, stationery shops, bookstores, paint shops, mobile recharge shops, hardware shops; laundry, tea and pan shops will be allowed to open in green and orange zones. Police will survey which shops will be allowed to open. But gathering of people at any of these shops will not be allowed. 

At the same time, no hawkers will be allowed to set stalls on markets or pavements. Factories in green zones can operate abiding all protocols. 

Buses will be allowed to operate in green zones with not more than 20 people. 

The District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police have to ensure that it takes place following all precautionary norms. 

More taxis will be allowed to ply in Kolkata. Police and the state Transport department will work together in finalising how many more cabs will be allowed to ply. 

Banerjee also announced that money will get directly transferred to the bank accounts of the "Dhaan Din, Cheque nin" scheme beneficiaries. 

Stating that her government has taken 51 private hospitals for COVID-19 treatment, she said it is the government that bears the cost of treatment of a patient in these hospitals. She also requested other private hospitals and local clinics to keep functioning. Negating allegation of lack of hospital beds in Kolkata, she said at present there are 790 beds available for COVID-19 patients. 

The Chief Minister also alleged that the BJP was indulging in politics at the time of this crisis.