The Nagaland government has released Rs 75 lakh to all deputy commissioners in the state in addition to the earlier sanctioned amount of Rs 38 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chief minister Neiphiu Rio announced this during a video conference with the deputy commissioners, superintendents of police and chief medical officers on Thursday held to review the status and preparedness of districts to combat the virus.

Rio also sanctioned Rs 1 lakh each for Naga Students Union Punjab and Rajasthan.

He said an additional Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia will be paid to any health worker, currently in the line of duty, if he or she gets afflicted by Covid-19 besides Rs 50 lakh similar ex-gratia announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana for them.

Rio, during the video conferencing, said though Nagaland had no confirmed Covid-19 case till date, the state has to prepare for any eventuality. He specifically enquired about the public response to the enforcement of lockdown, preparedness for Covid-19-related matters, Covid-19 hospitals and status of receiving medical equipment from the health and family welfare department and availability of essential commodities in the districts.

The enforcement of lockdown in the districts had been largely peaceful and successful, as per the feedback received during the video conference. Separate places had been identified for quarantine purposes and hospitals had been kept ready in the event of any detection.

Rio was also told that medical equipment sent by the health and family welfare department had already been received by the districts, except for one or two districts that were yet to receive ventilators.

The deputy commissioners said availability of essential commodities in the districts continued to remain normal.

Rio stressed on home delivery, especially LPG, by the agency itself in order to avoid crowding and maintaining social distancing at this crucial juncture.

He also asked the law-enforcing authorities to allow movement of people in the villages, keeping in mind the importance of sowing season for the cultivators.

However, people coming from outside to the villages should be stopped and kept for quarantine, he added. He also urged the authorities concerned to support and protect the migrant workers, if any, by giving them shelter and other essential commodities.

Governor address: Nagaland governor R.N. Ravi will address the people of the state on the Covid-19 pandemic at 6pm on Saturday on DD Kohima and AIR Kohima.