Bhubaneswar: With the return of seven lakh plus migrant workers to the state and the beginning of the monsoon season, the state is entering into a critical phase on its fight against COVID-19, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said here Wednesday.
While interacting with party MLAs through video conferencing, Naveen said, “Odisha is in a better state in our fight against COVID. We have one of the highest recovery rates in the country and one of the lowest mortality rates anywhere. We still have a long way to go and we have entered the most challenging phase in our fight against COVID-19.”
Stating that nearly seven lakh people have returned to the state after lockdown, he said, the state could manage the situation due to its unique concept of temporary medical camp facilities.
The state government has borne the train charges and has disbursed `2000 to each person in quarantine from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF). In addition, 14 days food and all other facilities were provided free of cost, Naveen said.
This facility of the government is provided to all residents of Odisha irrespective of their financial status and all Odia people have availed the benefits, he said. Apart from this, he said, the state government has provided 4-month ration and pensions in advance while Mission Shakti groups provided 2.5 crore meals to vulnerable people.
“From setting up COVID hospitals to making medical equipment available and training of manpower, we have done it in record time. Whether it is lockdown or shutdown, our approach has been scientific. And our strategy has been community-based with monitoring through advanced technology,” the Chief Minister said.
Due to the efforts of sarpanchs, community institutions, Covid warriors and sacrifice of 4.5 crore people, Odisha became a model state in COVID management, he said, adding, “We’ve further decentralized our monitoring system to the ward level.” “All of you are leaders and respected in your areas. People look up to you in these crucial times. This situation of Corona pandemic will be your biggest challenge in public life as it concerns lives and deaths of people,” he told the legislators.
He asked the MLAs to scale up Jeevan Bindu programme, engage party workers in all COVID related works, spread awareness on masks & social distancing and to take care of elderly people.
As no public gathering is allowed in this situation, the party law-makers were asked to use other methods to reach out to people.
About 50,000 COVID Care Committees at ward level have been formed and provided with `10,000 each from CMRF. Each panchayat will have Covid Care Home for which `50,000 is sanctioned for every home, Naveen said MLAs.
“You are very important. People have reposed faith in your leadership. In your every act, every move, every step you should inspire our workers and people at large to follow COVID guidelines and take care of themselves and their families,” he said.