After the Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced nationwide lockdown from March 25 in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and State Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Tuesday assured that the state has enough food grain stock.
As the social distancing becomes an important exercise to curb the spread of the coronavirus or COVID-19, the Maharashtra government had imposed curfew in the state barring inter-district travel. In order to stop people from practising ‘panic buying’, Bhujbal informed that Maharashtra has enough food grain stock to last six months.
“Despite the closure of district borders and imposition of section 144, people should not worry about getting essential commodities. There is ample supply of food grains including rice and wheat for the next six months,” the Free Press Journal quoted Bhujbal as saying.
Earlier, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray had urged people to not panic and hoard the essential commodities as the same will continue to be available during the lockdown.
“Shops and outlets selling food grains, vegetables, meat, fish and medical shops have been excluded from the lockdown. Don’t crowd the markets. Mathadi workers and farmers are also humans and their safety is also important,” Bhujbal said.
The minister further stated that maintaining hygiene and social distancing was important while warning that action will be taken against those hoarding and black-marketing essential commodities including masks and sanitisers.
“if essential commodities including masks and sanitisers are black marketed or hoarded, it would be punished with seven years imprisonment,” Bhujbal asserted.
The Prime Minister on Tuesday night addressed the nation while announcing a nationwide lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The number of cases for coronavirus or COVID-19 is on a constant rise in India and the lockdown has been placed to tackle the crisis.
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