Involve panchayats in battle against COVID-19, Naveen urges PM
Patnaik put forward the suggestion during a videoconference Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with chiefministers of different states.
Emphasising on the need for adopting a "decentralizedmechanism" to strengthen the process of containing the spreadof the coronavirus, the Odisha chief minister said a smallerarea instead of an entire district should be classified as ared, orange or green zone on the basis of the severity of thedisease.
"A smaller and scientific unit can replace a districtas a unit for zoning, and we should allow local administrationto decide this area. As the fight is going to be long, it isimportant that we involve panchayats," he said.
Advocating a greater role for local bodies in thebattle against the coronavirus, the chief minister said theUnion government may modify existing schemes to incentiviseand actively involve Panchayati Raj institutions in COVID-19management.
He also suggested that "broad principles" be evolvedat the national level for enforcement of the lockdown andother regulations.
To revive economic activities, the Centre may come upwith a standard operating procedure (SOP), Patnaik said.
"As our production lines are interlinked and so areour value addition processes cutting across state boundaries,a national SOP should be the guideline for rebooting theeconomy," the chief minister said.
On resumption of train services, he said theirmovement should be regulated in consultation with the statesconcerned. SKN NNSK SK