Janata Curfew and Rs 5,300 crore package announced by Maharashtra CM

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has announced 15-day curfew in the state from 8 pm tomorrow. At the same time, he announced a package of Rs 5,400 crore for a large section of the population affected by the measures.

In an address to the state Thackeray said that the campaign would be called Break-the-Chain, in the light of the rising cases of COVID 19.

He appealed to the people to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary movements. Emergency services including medical and veterinary services, public transport, solid waste management and pre-monsoon works, banking, e-commerce, SEBI, accredited journalists, petrol pumps are among the exempted list.

Thackeray said that it would be best if people look at it as a Janata Curfew and stay indoors. The situation in the state is grave with COVID 19 cases increasing by the day. The Chief Minister said that there is an acute shortage of oxygen and the state has appealed to the Centre to help out. The Centre has allowed Maharashtra to procure oxygen from manufacturers in other states, including from North East India and added that the Centre should provide air force aircraft to bring oxygen from these regions, in order to save the lives of the COVID 19 patients in the state.

Three kilogram wheat and two kilogram rice would be provided free for a month to seven crore people in the state. These seven crore constitute, those below poverty line, homeless and the like.

The price of Shiv Bhojan thali, which was Rs 10, before the lockdown in the first phase of the pandemic, was brought down to Rs 5 at that time. Now the thali would be available free to the needy.

Registered hawkers will be given Rs 1,500. A similar amount would be given to permit holding autorickshaw plyers. Registered domestic workers will also be given financial aid.