Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Jai Ram Thakur today said COVID-19 situation is quite under control in the state due to timely steps taken by the government.

There have been 701 COVID-19 positive cases so far in HP, out of which 420 have been cured, he added.

“At one stage there was only one Covid-19 case in the state, but the number rose as the state government had to bring back about two lakh Himachalis stranded outside state,” he said, while addressing a virtual rally of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Mahila Morcha from Shimla.

Thakur said the timely decision of lockdown by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi helped in checking the spread of this virus in the country. The death rate in India due to Corona was very less as compared to most of the developed nations of the country. As many as 4.75 lakh people have lost their lives due to Covid-19 in 15 most developed countries with a total population of 142 crore whereas in India with a population of 135 crore have reported over 13,000 deaths due to corona till date.

The Chief Minister said that the State Mahila Morcha has done a commendable work in preparing and distributing face masks and face covers to the people of the state. He said that the Mahila Morcha has also played a key role in providing ration and cooked food to the needy at the time of curfew in the state.

He said the state government was committed to welfare and empowerment of women in the state. He said that several schemes have been launched for the economic upliftment and social empowerment of the women.

Thakur said Himachal Pradesh was the first state in the country to provide 50 percent reservation in the Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies. He said that this has not only ensured participation of women in development and policy making, but also ensured their empowerment.

Thakur said that one cannot even imagine of development of the society without the development of the womenfolk. He said that thus the state government has launched several schemes for the women empowerment. He said that free gas connections have been provided to 2.76 lakh families under State Scheme Grihni Suvidha Yojna and 1.36 lakh connections under Ujjawala Yojna. He said that Rs 500 each have been deposited in the accounts of 5.90 lakh eligible women under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna during the months of April, May and June.

Two minute silence was also observed on the occasion in honour of the Galwan martyrs.

National President Mahila Morcha Vijaya Rahatkar, who connected from Aurangabad, said that the BJP led government launched several schemes for ensuring women empowerment in one year. She said that all these schemes have been helping in the socio-economic upliftment of the womenfolk.

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