New Delhi, May 1 (IANS): With the nationwide lockdown extended for another two weeks to contain the spread of novel coronavirus, the government on Friday reconstituted the empowered groups for planning and ensuring implementation of response activities.
On March 29, the Centre set up 11 empowered groups for ensuring a comprehensive and integrated response to the Covid-19 pandemic. These groups have been set up under Disaster Management Act. A total of 80 senior civil servants have been deputed in the 11 groups which may seek the guidance of Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba.
Medical Emergency management plan; availability of hospitals, isolation and quarantine facilities disease surveillance and testing and critical care training; ensuring availability of essential medical equipment such as PPE, masks, gloves and ventilators, production procurements, imports and distribution are among the empowered groups.
Besides, augmenting human resources and capacity building; facilitating supply chain and logistic management for availability of necessary items such as food and medicines; coordinating with private sector, NGOs and international organisations for response related activities; economic and welfare measures; information, communication and public awareness; technology and data management; public grievances and suggestions; and strategic issues relating to lockdown are in the list.
The groups have been empowered to formulate plans and to take all steps for their time-bound implementation. Each group will be handled by a group of senior government officials who have been empowered to identify the problem areas and provide effective solutions, delineate policy, formulate plans, strategizing operations and take all necessary steps for effective and time-bound implementation of these plans, policies, strategies, decisions in their respective areas.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in an order said that Niti Aayog member V. Paul, Dr Renu Swaroop, Secretary DBT, V. Thiruppugazh of the NDMA, Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary Ministry of Health, Dr Amardeep Garg, Joint Secretary Cabinet Secretariat and Rajender Kumar, Director in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) are the members of the Medical Emergency management Plan committee.
Meanwhile, C.K. Mishra, Secretary, EF&CC, Vinod Yadav, Chairman Railway Board, Dr Randeep Guleria, Director AIIMS, Dr Raman R, Gangakhedkar, Head ECD, ICMR, Jiwesh Nandan, AS, Defence, Rachan Shah, AS, Cabinet Secretariat, Vikas Sheel, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health, Shrikhar Paradeshi, Joint Secretary and Mayur Maheshwari Director in the PMO are the members of the committee for the group for availability of hospitals, isolation and quarantine facilities, disease surveillance and testing and critical care training.
On Friday, the total number of Covid-19 cases in India rose to 35,364 with 1,152 people losing their lives to the pandemic across the country and 9,064 cured.