Regular classes for students of standard 10 to standard 12 will reopen with immediate effect, while online classes for junior students would continue, the state government decided after a special meeting of the home, prisons and disaster management department chaired by chief minister Hemant Soren and minister Banna Gupta on Tuesday.

Talking to The Telegraph Online soon after the meeting, Gupta said the government had also decided to pay compensation of Rs1 lakh to the kin of all victims of road accidents in Jharkhand irrespective of their economic status, caste, community and gender.

“This is the first time that any government in Jharkhand has taken such an initiative for the victims of road accidents. The only eligibility criteria to benefit from the scheme is to be a resident of Jharkhand,” said Gupta.

While the government decided to resume regular classes for students of higher secondary classes, it decided to keep swimming pools, parks and movie theaters closed until further notice, the minister said.

All educational institutions have remained closed since March due to the nationwide lockdown enforced in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Gradually, the government decided to reopen malls, restaurants, bars and clubs, but schools remained closed.

The government on Tuesday increased the cap on the number of attendees in weddings and other ceremonies. “Wedding ceremonies in open air can have 300 guests, while such ceremonies held in indoor banquets will be allowed to have 200 guests,” said Gupta. Earlier, the government had set an upper limit of 200 guests in wedding ceremonies.

Besides, a maximum of 200 people will now be allowed to visit places of worship across Jharkhand.

Regular classes at all medical colleges, dental colleges, nursing colleges and government-run training institutes will resume with immediate effect, said Gupta, adding that online classes would also continue.

The chief minister also urged corporate houses to make contributions under CSR to aid the state’s fight against Covid-19 pandemic.

Reviewing the work of the home, prisons and disaster management department at the project building here, the chief minister was informed that Central Coalfield (CCL) had contributed Rs 20 crore to support Jharkhand’s fight against the global pandemic. Citing CCL’s example, Hemant asked other corporate houses to make similar contributions.