The Meghalaya Government has decided to enforce the closure of educational institutes till April 30th, 2020 post the lockdown period during a cabinet meeting held on April 16th, 2020.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong informed media that the State Cabinet has decided that the schools and educational institutions will remain closed till April 30th, 2020.
The decision to open the educational institutes will be reviewed depending on the prevailing situation in the entire Northeastern States, he said.
“Farmers in rural areas will be allowed to resume sowing activities with immediate effect. Strict protocols to be maintained as prescribed from time to time by the health department,” said Tynsong.
Private transportation will be allowed to resume operations from April 15th, 2020 onwards. However, the interstate movement will still be restricted.
All government offices will start functioning with full staff strength from April 15th, 2020.
He added, “MGNREGA activities will be allowed to resume in respective villages in the State. Wages and the material components to the tune of Rs 534.6573 crore has been sanctioned and released to the respective Block Development Offices for payment of wages and clearing the materials bills.”
Tynsong said that construction works (viz. road construction, etc.) and other allied developmental programs sanctioned by the government in the last financial year is allowed to restart from the April 15th, 2020.
“The Cabinet also decided to allow the reopening of weekly markets in rural areas from April 15th, 2020, provided that strict COVID-19 protocols as prescribed by the health department are adhered to,” the Minister said.
Tynsong also mentioned that the government will extend financial assistance to all wage earners, daily labourers and petty traders (unregistered daily wage earners) who are out of work during the COVID-19 lockdown, under the Chief Minister’s Relief Against Wage Loss scheme for daily wage earners at the rate of Rs 700 per week.
The financial assistance will be transferred directly to the eligible beneficiary’s account. Beneficiaries already registered under Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW), job cardholders under MGNREGA, muster roll workers of government departments, casual and contractual wage workers in government and semi-government departments and registered farmers under PM-KISAN are not entitled to receive benefits under the scheme, he informed.
The Cabinet also discussed about the citizens from Meghalaya, both students and working citizens, numbering about 2192 individuals in total, who are staying at different parts of the country.
“Most of them had expressed their desire to come back to the State. Taking into account the safety of people in the State and the safety of the stranded citizens themselves, the Cabinet after a thorough discussion has decided to request the stranded citizens to refrain from travelling back home until the end of April 2020,” added Tynsong.
Photo: Twitter
