Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 24

The Army’s Northern Command has intensified measures to combat the outbreak and spread of coronavirus in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Army has established multiple telephone helplines to provide information and assistance to the people.

The Defence PRO said with the spread of the novel coronavirus, there was a sense of uncertainty among the people as many of them were not sure what measures to take to safeguard themselves and their family.

“There have been a series of fake social media uploads which have created panic among people. To this effect, the Army has been undertaking intense awareness campaigns and updating the public with all relevant information during this pandemic through various platforms. The initiatives are meant to ensure that people do not become unwitting carriers of the virus and are well informed about the preventive measures to be adopted,” said Lt Col Abhinav Navneet, Defence PRO.

In order to help the people to manage the stresses related to Covid-19 and to provide immediate relief to those seeking advice, helpline numbers have been activated across the UT. The helplines are a critical resource for the people and will address the questions of the residents.

Round-the-clock service

• The Army has established multiple telephone helplines to provide information and assistance to the people
• It said the helplines are a critical resource for the people and will address the questions of the residents and provide the up-to-date information resource
• The helplines will be active round the clock to address general questions and concerns regarding the prevention of Covid-19

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 23

As the Punjab government has imposed curfew to control the spread of coronavirus, it is time for MLAs to do something different!

Restricted to their homes, Congress lawmakers are using the time to nurture their hobbies — be it cooking, gardening, playing snooker or chess, or spending time with their families and pets.

Between spending time with families and taking official calls, most of the MLAs were busy coordinating with district authorities to facilitate the persons needing some sort of help during the curfew.

Check out what MLAs are up to:

New Delhi, March 24

The Army has intensified measures to combat the outbreak/spread of Covid in Jammu and Kashmir by establishing multiple telephone helplines to provide information and assistance.

There have been a series of fake social media uploads, creating panic among people. To this effect, the Army has been undertaking intense awareness campaigns, updating the public with all relevant information during this pandemic through various platforms.

These initiatives are meant to ensure that individuals do not become unwitting carriers of the virus and are well-informed about the various preventive measures to be adopted.

Srinagar residents can reach out for help on 0194-2467326, residents of other districts can seek assistance through helplines at Baramulla (0195-2238826), Kupwara (0195-5252996), Shalateng (0194-2496618), Awantipura (0193-3247087), Nagrota (0191 254 7896), Akhnoor (0192 425 4244), Rajouri (0196 226 2477), Batote (0199 824 4361), Palma (0196 226 1503), Reasi (0199 124 5319) and Narian (0196 023 0026). The helplines will be active 24×7 to address general questions and concerns. — TNS

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 24

The reduction in the staff strength in government offices to contain the Covid-19 outbreak will not affect the payment of defence pensions or the issue of new payment orders for those retiring this month.

The payment of pension for the month of March 2020, issue of pension payment orders (PPO) for personnel retiring on March 31 and the issue of the PPO in case of death have been listed as essential services in orders issued by the Controller General of Defence Accounts on March 23.

As part of the measures being implemented to mitigate the spread of Covid, the Defence Accounts Department as well as other government departments are required to function with a skeletal staff on a rotational basis from March 23 to March 31.

The orders, however, make it clear that essential work of the department is not to be affected by reduction in staff. Pay and allowances, accounts and budget, payments, IT and computer systems and pension sanction have been listed as essential services.

Meanwhile, members of the Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) who are undergoing long-term treatment for lifestyle diseases have been allowed to purchase medicines from any chemist shop instead of going to the ECHS polyclinic.

A circular issued by the ECHS Central Organisation yesterday states that veterans can purchase their monthly quota of all medicines for April as per their prescription and they will be reimbursed for it after May 15. This has been done keeping in view the guidelines on social distancing issued by the World Health Organisation and check crowding at the ECHS polyclinics.

Veterans have also been advised to avoid visiting polyclinics except in case of an emergency. Routine medical examination, blood pressure checks and physiotherapy have been suspended at some places. Strict procedures have also been laid down for dealing with dental and oral disorders.

ECHS to reimburse for April medicines

• Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) members have been allowed to purchase medicines from any chemist shop instead of going to the ECHS polyclinic.
• They can purchase their monthly quota of medicines for April as per their prescription and they will be reimbursed for it after May 15.

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Tribune News Service
Patiala/Bathinda, March 24

Punjab Police on Tuesday punished those violating the curfew in the state, which has been enforced to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

In videos that have emerged from different parts of Punjab, police can be seen wielding lathis or forcing violators to do sit-ups or crawl on the road to discourage them from venturing outside.

Bathinda police punished the violators at Ghorewala chowk.

In Patiala, despite repeated reminders to people to stay indoors, residents continued to roam on the roads, following which police personnel used mild force to ensure a complete ban on public gatherings.

Senior officials said that the police officers have been doing rounds in colonies and residential areas to ensure that there are no gatherings.

“The whole purpose is defeated if people continue to come out and meet outside their houses. It is a virus spread and we can take no chances as this time is vital to save lives,” said Patiala SSP Mandeep Sidhu.

Earlier in the day, milk, newspaper and vegetable supplies were hit as authorities failed to take any decision on the movement of these commodities. However, senior officials said that a decision to this effect will be taken by evening so that essential supplies are not hit.

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Tribune News Service 
Chandigarh, March 24

The Governor, Punjab and Administrator, UT Chandigarh VP Singh Badnore presided over a review meeting through video conferencing with all the officers of tricity and reviewed the situation during the curfew period.

The Governor of Punjab and Administrator, thanked the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi for such quick action in giving two months ration money to people. The decision was taken by Government of India on the request of Chandigarh Administration after the personal intervention of the Governor himself.

The Chandigarh Administration has released the food subsidy for the month of May-2020 along with the subsidy of April-2020 and the same has been credited in the accounts of registered beneficiaries of UT Chandigarh.

He gave directions to the officials to maintain strictness in the during curfew and ensure that there is no unnecessary crowd or congestion anywhere on the streets. He directed the Police authorities to be strictly implement the orders. However, relaxation on case to case basis and on humanitarian grounds is to be given to people for emergency medical work, wherever required.

It was decided that coordination with Mohali and Panchkula authorities has to be maintained so that people coming from inter-state borders to reach or to go out of Chandigarh don’t find it difficult. Further, it was also decided that the authorities of Mohali and Panchkula will respect the Passes and ID’s issued by the Deputy Commissioner, Chandigarh, so that there should be no problems to the personnel including health staff, police, chemists etc and important supply chains are maintained. Similarly, Deputy Commisioner, Chandigarh was also directed to respect the passes issued by the neighbouring Districts i.e Mohali and Panchkula. It was also directed to ensure that the Government employees going for duty to banks, press, or the Government officials of the neighbouring states do not suffer while checking by the police during the curfew period.

Further, Adviser Manoj Parida reviewed the availability of Essential items and it was assured that milk supply and newspaper will be provided to each house every morning throughout the Curfew period. It was also decided that in the sector markets the ration store, Fruit & vegetable shop and medical store will be used as points for organizing door to door delivery. In pheriphery areas packed ration, fruit, vegetable etc will be provided door to door at fixed prices.

As regarding the Senior Citizens staying without assistance, provision for Home delivery of medicines has also been ensured. Medicines are available on call (Home Delivery) on these three numbers i.e 9815272650, 9814055034 and 9876537241 from 10:00 AM to 07:00 PM. Moreover, the chemist shops in the city have already been allowed to open throughout the curfew .

The video conference was attended by Manoj Parida, Adviser, Arun Gupta, Home Secretary, A K Sinha, Finance Secretary, Sanjay Beniwal, DGP, Municipal Corporation Commissioner, all three Deputy Commissioners and SSPs and other senior officers of the tricity.

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Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 24

National Conference vice-president and former CM Omar Abdullah was released on Tuesday after nearly eight months in detention as the administration revoked his incarceration under the Public Safety Act.

Edit: Omar’s detention ends

Soon after his release from the Hari Niwas guest house, Omar talked to reporters and urged the Centre to release other detainees and also restore high-speed Internet services in Jammu and Kashmir.

“People are detained in and outside the state. The Centre should have mercy, release them and send them home. I also request the Centre to end the Internet restrictions,” Omar said. He also urged people to take safety measures and protect themselves from Covid-19. Earlier in the day, J&K Government’s spokesman Rohit Kansal tweeted that the detention order of Omar Abdullah had been revoked.

Omar served as J&K’s Chief Minister from 2009 till 2014.

The former CM, who was detained in August last year when a major crackdown was launched in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370, said during his detention he had “thought a lot” to talk about political issues, but said he would now wait for the pandemic to end.

“I want to give this message to all that we should maintain social distancing. I will talk in detail later about what happened to J&K after August 5, but first we should save ourselves from this virus,” he said.

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 24

The government today suspended debit card withdrawal charges, waived minimum bank balance requirement and postponed the last date for filing income tax and GST returns till June 30.

Making the announcement via video-conferencing with her Minister of State Anurag Thakur, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said an economic resuscitation and stimulus package would be announced very soon.

She said regulators and her ministry were monitoring developments and volatility in stock markets in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.

Though the Covid Economic Task Force announced by PM Modi on March 22 was yet to be constituted, Sitharaman said separate sub-groups comprising parliamentarians with an interest in finance, academics, industrialists and officials were working on a package for the economically vulnerable and the industry.

The relaxations announced today covered five areas: Direct taxes, indirect taxes, financial services, corporate governance and fisheries.

The last date for filing income tax returns for 2018-19, linking of Aadhaar with PAN and Vivad Se Vishwas scheme has been extended to June 30. The last date for investments in saving instruments has also been extended. The necessary circulars and legislative amendments are yet to be issued.

In case of indirect taxes, no penalty will be imposed if MSMEs delay filing GSTR-3B due for March, April and May 2020 by the last week of June. Companies with a turnover of above Rs 5 crore will be charged 9 per cent interest for the delay. The payment date for the Sabka Vishwas scheme has also been extended to June 30.

In corporate governance, the requirement of holding board meetings has been extended by 60 days and the minimum residency norm waived for company directors.

The government has also raised the threshold of default under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) to Rs 1 crore. “This will by and large prevent triggering of insolvency proceedings against MSMEs,” Sitharaman said.

“If the current situation continues beyond April 30, we may consider suspending Sections 7, 9 and 10 of the IBC for six months,” she said. In fisheries, a delay of one month in the arrival of inputs will be condoned.

ATM withdrawals free

• Fee for withdrawals from ATMs of other banks suspended
• Minimum bank balance requirement waived
• Last date for investments in saving instruments extended
• Date for Aadhaar-PAN linking, Vivad Se Vishwas plan relaxed