Corona to stay but development work should not stop: Mamata

Kolkata: Stating that the Covid situation in the state is likely to improve considerably by the end of September as per the experts, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday maintained that implementation of state-run projects cannot be delayed as development has to go on besides the battle against the pandemic alongside the ensuing elections.

"Elections will come and go but the government will remain and you will also stay. Ensure that the development work does not get delayed by any means," the Chief Minister told officers while holding the district review meeting for the second consecutive day on Tuesday.

Preparing a detailed plan of action to ensure timely execution of development projects following the convergence policy with that of the 100 days work scheme, Banerjee said payment of beneficiaries of MGNREGA scheme should not remain pending as seven percent of them are yet to receive the same. She directed the officials to complete the task within the next seven days. Banerjee also directed the completion of works at the earliest under Banglar Sadak Yojana and Banglar Abas Yojana, for which 20 lakh units have been sanctioned this year.

The Panchayats and Rural Development department has also been directed to appoint a nodal officer for each of the three projects — MGNREGA, Banglar Sadak Yojana and Banglar Abas Yojana. She also directed Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay to prepare district-wise data on the number of migrant workers who have been given jobs.

Reiterating that overloaded trucks cannot be allowed on village roads, she expressed her annoyance over the poor performance of certain districts including East Burdwan in completion of the construction of village roads.

In the same breath, she said no one from neighbouring states or any other place will be deprived of getting treatment at hospitals in Bengal, but their enrolment in the data as Covid patients should be as per their home address.

"All pending works have to be completed before Durga Puja," Banerjee said after directing officials to ensure the release of benefits for 8,000 applicants of the Rupashree scheme.

While enquiring about the reason behind the high Covid positivity rate of 5.9 percent in West Burdwan, the Chief Minister learnt that there was an influx of many pandemic patients from neighbouring districts to West Burdwan for treatment where five major hospitals are situated. As a result, the number of cases in the district was higher. She then directed that the entry of patients in the data should be made based on their home addresses.

The state government will also survey people with comorbidities. It has already started in Kolkata and will begin in the districts from next week. Directions have also been given to release a Covid patient to stay in home isolation or safe homes if he or she has no symptoms for three consecutive days. At the same time, the death rate as of June this year was 35 percent lesser compared to that of 2019. Banerjee directed to take steps to further reduce the death rate due to Covid.

The Chief Minister also directed district authorities to conduct surprise visits at hospitals as she had received reports that some were not turning up to work for as many as two days in a week. State Labour minister Moloy Ghatak has also been directed to ensure surprise visits of officers at factories to check whether Covid protocol was being followed.