West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is a woman of the streets and she is showing just that amid the coronavirus pandemic. As West Bengal observed lockdown, Didi, masked and maintaining appropriate social distance, landed at Kolkata's marketplaces for a surprise check.
The chief minister spoke to the shopkeepers and showed them how to ensure that their customers maintain social distancing when they come their shop.
The West Bengal government had called for a lockdown in some parts from 23 March, and across the state from 24 March till 15 April. This diktat preceded that of Prime Minister Modi who enforced a nation-wide lockdown starting midnight 25 March.
Through out this period, the West Bengal government has also regularly announced measures, including financial schemes, to ease worries for the residents of the state.
The government has announced an insurance of 5 lakh rupees for over 10 lakh workers who are working in the frontline of this crisis like healthcare workers and the police.
The Chief Minister has also announced the new "Procheshta" scheme under which workers in the unorganised sector of the state, who are unable to make ends meet, will be given a one-time grant of one thousand rupees.
The government is also giving free rations to poor families for the next six months.
Prior to this, the Chief Minister had made surprise visits at government healthcare facilities and hospitals to distribute masks and sanitisers to healthcare workers and take stock of the situation in the hospitals.
All of India is under a nation-wide lockdown to contain coronavirus till 14 April.
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