A staggered exit plan is required to bring back the normalcy in the State and to revive the economic activity simultaneously, taking care of monetary and food requirements of the vulnerable sections of the State. This was stated by the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while presiding over the meeting with the senior officers of the State.
Chief Minister said that consequent upon the enforcement of Nationwide lockdown for 21 days by the Government of India on 24th March, 2020, Himachal Pradesh has also followed the protocol laid down to fight spread of COVID-19 pandemic. He said that as per the threat of COVID-19 and cases found in Himachal Pradesh, the State would be divided into six zones viz. red zone, orange (4 zones) and green zone for the sake of drafting exit plan from COVID-19 lockdown.
Jai Ram Thakur said that the exit plan would be prepared keeping in view health and economic variables. He said that capacity of the State’s health care system to guard public life, personnel discharging essential services and medical professionals against the epidemic during the days to come and capacity to build resilience against the diseases would be taken into consideration. He said that similarly in economic front, effectiveness in preventing spread and impact of the current lockdown on State’s economy and its likely extension, its impact on poor and other vulnerable sections and fiscal capacity of the State to compensate the economically most vulnerable sections would be taken into consideration.
Chief Minister said that exist plan would be initiated only and only when there were initial flattening of infection curve followed by tapering of the curve with the tendency to reach a stage zero infection.
Jai Ram Thakur said that the identified hot spots would be entirely isolated from the other parts and supply of food and other essential commodities would be entrusted to the police and the local administration.
Advisor Planning Dr. Basu Sood made a presentation on Draft Exit Plan from Covid-19 Lockdown.
