Cabinet nod for ordinance to vote on account in Andhra Pradesh

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh government will bring in an ordinance for vote on account budget for the three- month period up to June 30 for all Departmental expenses in wake of Covid-19 and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy held the cabinet meeting discussed in detail the measures to contain the spread of the virus.

Speaking to media after the cabinet meeting, State I & PR Minister Perni Venkataramaiah (Nani) told media that the cabinet has approved the Ordinance for drawing money for the expenses of State for the next three months and once it gets the Governor’s nod, the details would be revealed.

As it is not possible to convene the budget session in wake of the pandemic, the government is going for an Ordinance.

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy held extensive discussions on the medical facilities and strengthening the medicare system and has put in place all measures with a high level monitoring system. To get state level feedback a taskforce with five ministers, 10 senior IAS officers and four officials from CMO will be formed to coordinate with district level teams of ministers and officers, he said.

So far 11 positive cases are reported in the state and the number of foreign returnees were mapped at 28,000 and a constant vigil is being maintained on them and their contacts.

Four hospitals one each at Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and Nellore are now converted into dedicated super specialty Covid hosptials while 100 bedded isolation centres are in place at constituency level and 200-bed isolation centres at district level. About 400 ventilators are in place and PPEs (Personal Protection Equipment) surgical masks for patient attendants along with N 95 masks are available in required numbers and order was placed for more equipment which will be delivered in a couple of days.

The helpline 104 will be active 24/7 with 60 parallel lines and medicare staff will attend all emergencies. Village volunteers along with ANMs and Asha workers and health assistants are doing their best and it is the turn of the people to cooperate by home isolation and social distancing, he said.

People should take the social curfew seriously and help the government in fighting the invisible enemy. It is very sad to see that students and others from our state are stranded at other places but the helplessness of the situation prompts us to say that they have to stay where they are or cross the border and be quarantined for 14 days. In other days the Chief Minister would have been more than happy to seek Centre’s help bring back Andhra students from anywhere but now in the times of Covid 19, the situation is grim and everyone has to stay where they are to avoid the spread. Social distancing was also observed during the cabinet meeting, he said.

Essential commodities will be available and goods vehicles are permitted to move and the Minister for Fisheries Mopidevi Venkataramana will speak to the aqua exporters for transport of their products.

Chandababu Naidu has been trying to play politics even at this hour of crisis by asking how did the number of returnees inflate from 13,000 to 28, 000. During the first survey held on March 10 the figure was 13,000 and the recent survey concluded reveled the higher figure as there was rush of passengers both domestic and foreign with the closure of airports and national lockdown.

He also appealed to the media not to blow the stories of state borders and create panic but cooperate with the government.