Amit Shah takes stock as States ease relaxation norms

New Delhi, Apr 20: Exercise due caution and give only genuine exemptions and relaxations, Union Home Minister, Amit Shah said during a high-level meeting on COVID-19, with senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Shah said that permission should be given only to certain economic and industrial activities to be undertaken in areas that do not call within the hotspots, clusters and containment zones. District administrations in collaboration with the industries should make arrangements to transfer labourers to their place of work within the state. The Modi government believes that this would give a boost to economic activity and also provide employment to the labourers, a Home Ministry official said.

Further the meeting also attended by ministers of state, G Kishan Reddy and Nityanand Rai decided that the states should give attention to big industrial units, industrial estates and industrial complexes, especially those where the labourers can be accommodated within the complex. The labourers should be provided gainful employment, the official also said.

Shah suggested during the meeting that the District Magistrates should explore the possibility of providing labourers employment through agriculture as well as MNREGA activities. He also said that greater attention should be paid to those labourers who continue to stay at relief camps. This should include good quality of food, the Home Minister also said.

Community based testing must be taken up by medical teams and states must ensure that special care to team especially in terms of security. Before undertaking such an exercise, the peace committees could be activated. Community leaders could be involved to ensure that peace is maintained, Shah also said.