Patna: As Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced a series of measures for his state because of the crisis in almost every sector due to the coronavirus pandemic, Tejashwi Yadav, Bihar’s Leader of Opposition, too pitched in, offering his official residence in Patna to be turned into a makeshift quarantine camp or a testing centre.
Mr Kumar has announced a “package” under which one month ration will be given for free to all card holders.
Bihar, which reported its first death from coronavirus on Sunday and has three cases so far, is among the 30 states and union territories that are under a lockdown to contain the rapid spread of coronavirus. Over 470 people have tested positive for the virus in the country and nine have died.
Nitish Kumar on Monday also announced that Rs 1,000 will be given to all the families with ration cards in urban local bodies and panchayat of block headquarters that are under lockdown.
Financial relief will be also provided to students, the Chief Minister said. Among other measures announced were are three months advance pension for all those eligible under old-age pension, widow pension and disability pension schemes.
Tejashwi Yadav, 30, said on Monday that he will donate a month’s salary to the Chief Minister’s relief fund to help those in need in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
“As the leader of opposition, I have been allotted the 1, Polo road government bungalow. I would like to put it (bungalow) to better use,” Mr Yadav tweeted. “The bungalow could be used as a quarantine camp or a testing centre, or for setting up isolation wards and increasing the number of beds. It can also be used in any other manner to fight against the coronavirus outbreak,” the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) wrote.
“A person’s life has been lost and there should be no more death. We will support the state government’s every positive move in its fight to prevent the spread of coronavirus. We will not allow any laxity at any stage as every life counts,” he said.
The Nitish Kumar government is yet to react to Tejashwi Yadav’s office as hospitals in the state have enough beds as of now.
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