MUMBAI: The novel coronavirus will not be completely eradicated soon and it needs to be accepted as a part of life, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said on Wednesday as he pitched for creating awareness about health care about the masses.
People should maintain personal hygiene, he said and urged the Maharashtra government’s information department to spread social awareness on how to fight COVID-19.
Pawar, who held parleys with Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday on the challenges posed by COVID-19 and measures needed to bring the states economy back on track, also suggested the government to come out with scheme/s to encourage investment in the state.
“Corona disease will not be completely eradicated shortly. It is necessary to accept the corona as a part of life, beware of it & create awareness among the masses about health care. In Japan, people wear masks, look after personal hygiene as part of their routine social life, Pawar tweeted.
He urged people to wear gloves, use masks and sanitisers and wash their hands with soap from time to time to prevent the coronavirus infection.
The former Union minister appealed to the states information department to spread social awareness among the masses about the preventive measures for novel coronavirus.
Pawar, whose party is an alliance partner in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government, called for restoring the situation in the state by relaxing some of the lockdown conditions.
“Arrangements should be made to convey the information about the level of relaxation to the public at a fixed time every day by the state government, he said.
With workers migrating to their native places, Pawar said new job opportunities have emerged for unemployed people in Maharashtra, and called for drawing up an action plan on how to accommodate them in the industry.
“Earlier several incentive schemes were operational for industries in backward and underdeveloped areas. In the same vein, new policies for encouraging industrial growth should be released to attract new investment in the state, the veteran leader said.
Noting that the lockdown has disrupted vehicular movement, Pawar underscored the need to take the right steps to gradually restore road transport within the state and plan for the resumption of air and rail services.
“The pace of work in public and private ports seems to have slowed down. To increase imports, exports and inland shipping, consultations should be held with industrialists, entrepreneurs and expert officials in the field, the former Maharashtra chief minister said.
“The presence of state ministers and officials needs to be reinstated to build public confidence about the situation in the state returning to normalcy,” he said.
The NCP chief asked the government to issue appropriate instructions to ministers and officials to be present at their workplace.
“Shops, offices and establishments in the private sector should be opened in a staggered manner with complete caution, he added.
—PTI

Press Trust of India