Corona fight: Rajasthan Satark hai under master strategist Gehlot

It seems Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot never gets tired while working, especially during the period, when state faces any crisis. And, this time the crisis, coronavirus, is big, so he is working day and night devising strategies, working out policies and talking to doctors, district collectors and SPs to keep people of the state safe and secure. His motto has been, “no one should remain hungry” and he is working on that direction.

He understands what hunger means. If someone remains hungry his immune system will become weak and chances of him getting virus becomes much greater. If officials are to be believed then the CM, since the first case of Coronavirus was declared positive on March 2 (of an Italian tourist), has been working tirelessly with his Cabinet colleague Health Minister Dr Raghu Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary (Medical) Rohit Kumar Singh among others to check spread of novel coronavirus in the state. Along with the Chief Minister, Health Minister Dr Raghu Sharma and Rohit Kumar Singh and their team’s efforts should also be lauded as they are in constant touch with Chief Minister and are following his instructions in letter and spirit.

Besides, they are also making all efforts to keep morale and spirit of health workers and doctors high. The video of doctors and health workers singing songs in one of the worst affected areas of the state, Bhilwara, was tweeted by both Gehlot and Singh was watched by millions all over the world. The video showed the indomitable spirit of the health workers in the state. Rohit Kumar Singh’s recent post on Facebook (published in First India ) also says it all.

The Chief Minister Gehlot in his series of tweets, has tried to boost the morale of the doctors and has also told his officials in no uncertain terms that no one should remain hungry. In one of his tweets, Gehlot said that Covid-19 pandemic is a challenge in front of the world, our aim is to make Rajasthan stand as one of the best while dealing with it. Thanks to all the doctors and medical personnel of the state, who are trying to identify and treat those affected by coronavirus. CM is so pre-emptive that looking at the likely gravity of the situation and to prevent widespread infection of COVID-19, he has already asked the medical & health department to arrange adequate ventilators and test kits.

He also appealed to residents in Rajasthan to come forward and cook additional food for at least two persons, as it will help in providing food to the needy. When the lockdown was announced Gehlot had assured people that no one will sleep hungry in Rajasthan. He has announced various relief measures in the form of pension in advance to the people covered under social security benefits, one time relief of Rs1,000 to each BPL family, construction workers and registered street vendors, who are not covered under the pension scheme. Besides, other innovative steps have also been taken by him.

Incidentally, Rajasthan was one of the first states in the country to have announced a Rs 2,000 crore package for the needy. The main aim, the sensitive Chief Minister maintained is that his government has resolved that not a single person in the state remains hungry due to lockdown. And whatever Gehlot says, he means it. He is working very hard in this direction and is monitoring the situation himself very closely while trying to improve the situation in the state.

District Collectors too have been instructed to conduct a survey of the needy, poor and destitute to ensure that they get the necessary help during this difficult time. The Chief Minister has instructed them to provide food to the homeless, destitute and make available ration material to the needy through home delivery. Similarly, he said that Rajasthan government will ensure to provide food and ration to labourers, workers, and other people of different states living in Rajasthan.

Though migrant labourers and workers have now started to move out, trying to walk hundreds of kilometers to their villages, Gehlot as sensitive as he is, is appealing and informing them again and again that his government will take care of them. If sources are to be believed then he and his team is in touch with various industrial associations and others to provide these migrants food and shelter.

Gehlot is a man with a mission and is innovative while it comes to thinking and is most probably the first Chief Minister who has directed his officials to provide promotional material in Braille or audio tape for the visually impaired to make them aware about the disease.

ANIL SHARMA