India sets up 11 empowered groups; Ensures comprehensive, integrated response to COVID-19

New Delhi, March 30: Ahead in the sixth day of 21 day lockdown, the PM Modi led government decided to set up 11 empowered groups for ensuring a comprehensive and integrated response to COVID-19, which has infected more than 1000 people in the country and killed more than 25 people as of Monday.

 

 

The 11 empowered groups set up under the Disaster Management Act are expected to set things back on track during the lockdown period while they have been empowered to formulate plans and take all necessary steps for their time bound implementation. A senior health ministry official on Sunday noted that the secretary level officers have been involved in the matter and that each group has its particular focus area.

 

"These groups are empowered to identify problem areas and provide effective solutions, delineate policy, formulate plans, strategise operations, and take all necessary steps for effective and time-bound implementation of these plans," a communique from the health ministry read.

 

 

Each group has senior representative from the Prime Minister's Office and the Cabinet Secretariat to ensure seamless coordination. The Department of Expenditure has issued special instructions to enable expeditious decision making in procurement matters, it added.

 

Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a 21-day curfew-like lockdown across the country, asserting that social distancing is the only way to counter the coronavirus. In the televised address, he had appealed to people not to cross the ''lakshman rekha'' of their homes in the next three weeks.