Gujarat efforts in handling Covid largely appreciated: IIM-A

Gandhinagar, July 27 (SocialNews.XYZ) Amid rising Covid-19 cases in the state, a new report from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has shown that people in Gujarat are largely satisfied with the way the government has handled the Covid-19 challenges.

The government has been proactive in the provision of basic food grains, milk, and medicine and also in providing financial assistance under various schemes to the needy irrespective of their status of ration cards, showed the results of a survey.

The findings were part of a report titled 'Management Of The COVID-19 Pandemic In Gujarat: Understanding the governance initiatives, leadership processes and their impact'.

Some 2,387 respondents from 16 districts of Gujarat participated in this survey out of which 1,265 were citizens, 642 were administrative staff and 480 were health workers.

Gujarat detected 1,110 coronavirus positive cases on Sunday, the highest daily spike so far, which took the total positive cases to 55,822 and saw 21 casualties in the last 24 hours, the health department said.

The IIM-Ahmedabad study led by Professor Ranjan Kumar Ghosh said the recovery rate of Gujarat is improving over a period of time.

The recovery rate has increased from 15.6 per cent to 72.4 per cent in the three months' time period, said the study.

The research which documented the initiatives of the government said that over 1,000 shramik trains were operated to ferry nearly 14.80 lakh migrants back to their home states, while around 770 buses were used, in various rounds, to support movement of over 52,000 workers within the Gujarat state districts.

Another key initiative taken by the government was ensuring constant and adequate supply of essential commodities -- food grains, milk and fruits and vegetables -- during the lockdown.

Over 70 lakh families, constituting 80 per cent of the state's population and the migrant labourers, were provided ration that included wheat, rice, sugar, salt and pulses under various provisions of National Food Security Act, Anna Brahma Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana.

Through this initiative, for the first time, the population above the poverty line was also brought in the distribution system with the intention that no one goes hungry, said the report.

In addition, direct benefit transfers were made to 75 lakh families (including migrants) under the Mukhya Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (MMGKY), it added.

The Gujarat Chief Minister's interaction with the administrative bodies relating to the effective imposition of rules and regulations for the betterment of citizens can be considered one of the key success factors in combating the spread of Covid-19, said the report.

Citizens have shown support for the compulsory use of masks, social distancing at public places, testing of vegetable vendors, online purchases, sanitisation facilities and strict action against violation of rules related to spitting in public, movements on road without reason, and the use of AYUSH remedies, the results showed.

Source: IANS