HYDERABAD: The state Cabinet on Tuesday decided to extend the lockdown by 10 more days from Wednesday with more relaxation period from 6 am to 5 pm, when shops and establishments will down their shutters.
A grace period of an hour till 6 pm will be given for people to return home and strict lockdown will be enforced from 6 pm to 6 am. However, it was decided that in Sathupalli, Madhira, Nalgonda, Nagarjunasagar, Munugode, Devarakonda and Miryalaguda Assembly segments, the existing lockdown from 1 pm to 6 am will be extended for 10 more days.
Officials of the medical and health department toured these segments to assess ground-level situation and found that the Coronavirus spread had not come under control and recommended that the government continue the existing lockdown as it is.
In other decisions, the Cabinet gave approval to set up special food processing zones in the nine undivided districts except Hyderabad. It directed the officials to set up rice mills and other food processing industries in not less than 250 acres.
The Cabinet had an in-depth review on Kharif cultivation and the readiness of the agriculture department. It hailed the increase in cultivation under the Kaleshwaram and other irrigation projects. It also expressed happiness over 3 crore tonnes of paddy being produced in 1.06 crore acres in the last kharif and rabi seasons.
The Cabinet has taken a decision to constitute a sub-committee to deal with ration dealers’ commission and other issues in the public distribution system headed by civil supplies minister Gangula Kamalakar.
Another Cabinet sub-committee headed by finance minister T. Harish Rao has been constituted to recommend measures to improve facilities in government hospitals. The Cabinet asked the sub-committee to tour Kerala, Tamil Nadu as well as Sri Lanka, where better medical treatment is given, to study the situation and submit a report.
