MoS Jitendra Singh contributes one crore from MPLAD fund for coronavirus prevention

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday contributed Rs one crore from his MPLAD Fund to Jammu and Kashmir for coronavirus prevention and health care to deal with the pandemic, officials said.

Singh, who is a Lok Sabha MP from Udhampur-Kathua-Doda in the Union Territory, submitted a letter to the District Development Commissioner, Kathua, recommending Rs one crore from his Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD) fund as allocation to the Health Department for COVID-19 prevention and care, the official said. Earlier, on his arrival at the Jammu airport, the minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office was the first passenger to file his health declaration form and submit it to the health authorities.  

He also underwent thermal screening and complimented the doctors' team, that comprised of his former students, for the "excellent service" being rendered by them, the official said.  Chairing a high-level meeting here to review the preparedness of the Union Territory in dealing with the pandemic, Singh said the fight against novel coronavirus is a shared responsibility and everyone has to play their due roles in tackling the contagion.

The minister lauded the efforts of the medical fraternity of Jammu and Kashmir in combating the spread of the virus and sought the cooperation of all sections of society for the same.

"All of us have to cooperate in an optimum manner and every person needs to take all necessary precautions and exercise individual and collective responsibility in this fight against the coronavirus," Singh said. The Union Minister also asked people to heed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for the 'Janata curfew' on Sunday to minimize social interaction to control the spread of the contagion.

While emphasizing the need for upholding good personal hygiene by washing hands regularly, he also stressed the need for following the necessary guidelines that are being regularly issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare while discarding rumours and misinformation from unverified sources.

Singh directed officials to restrict the number of attendants in hospitals and exploring the possibility of designated OPD hours for regular patients to avoid mass gatherings. While calling for proper care and attention of the people quarantined in hospitals, he said they should not be made to feel like prisoners.

Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor, Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, said people should not panic and follow the government advisories in letter and spirit. He said COVID-19 patients need to be taken care of and every precaution should be exercised in dealing with the infection.

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