Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister, Shri Pinarayi Vijayan today announced that the lockdown in the State will be extended till May 23 as the test positivity rates are high in all the districts. “Strict restrictions will be required in places where the disease is not under control and the number of patients is increasing. To bring down the severe spread of the disease, triple lockdown will be implemented in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Malappuram districts from May 16”, the CM said while briefing the media.
Meanwhile, 34,694 new Covid-19 cases were detected in Kerala today from 1,31,375 sample tests in the last one day with a test positivity of 26.41%. At the same time, 93 deaths were confirmed as due to Covid and the death toll in the state is now 6,243. 31,319 patients have recovered from the disease today and currently, there are 4,42,194 persons under treatment for the disease in the State. Thiruvananthapuram district has the highest number of 4,567 new active cases.
Free food kit in June also
The Chief Minister today announced that the free food kits will be distributed in June 2021 also. “Prolonging the lockdown will naturally create a situation where people feel more distressed. Taking into account the experiences of the first phase, special schemes are being implemented to overcome the distress caused by the second wave. The distribution of the essential kits will continue in June.”
“During the first lockdown, the free food kit distribution programme was launched to overcome the crisis that the spread of Covid may create in the society. It was distributed to all families during and after the lockdown and about 85 lakh families have benefitted from the food kit every month. It continues this month as well. Free distribution of rice to all ration card holders was done at the lockdown stage. Rice was also distributed to non-priority sections at reduced rates. The guest workers were provided with food kits containing the items they needed. This time too, the distribution of their food kits is progressing”, he added.
Distribution of social security pension and financial assistance
The Chief Minister today informed that BPL families who do not get welfare fund benefits will be given a one-time financial assistance of Rs.1,000. “The distribution of social security pension for the month of May will be completed soon. An amount of Rs. 823.23 crores will be disbursed as pension. Rs.1,000 will be provided to the members of various welfare fund boards. The government will help the welfare fund boards which do not have their own funds.”
During the first lockdown, the government had increased the welfare pensions. Special financial assistance was also given to those who did not get the pension.
“Temporary employees, including Anganwadi workers in the Department of Social Justice and the Department of Women & Child Development, will be paid during the lockdown period without a break”, he added.
Meanwhile, the Health Department has sanctioned an amount of Rs. 77.42 crores for incentives and risk allowances for the NHM staff who are part of the Covid Brigade. The amount allowed is for the period from December 2020 to April 2021. Earlier, Rs 22.68 crores and Rs 45.32 crores were sanctioned for incentives and risk allowances. This amount was allocated in addition to this.