The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today said that the 21-day nationwide lockdown will not be relaxed in the state. He said that the lockdown will remain in force till April 14 as declared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier.
The state government however took some measures to ensure availability of essential services and goods, the Chief Minister said with an appeal to the people of the state to strictly follow the norms of social distancing and make the lockdown successful in the state.
Mr Sonowal also informed that the state's ministers took some important decisions and announced an economic package on Monday with a view to provide relief to the poor and needy families of the state during the lockdown period.
The decision was taken in an urgent cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal
Assam is trying to track around 500 people who had attended the Tablighi Jamat event in Delhi's Nizamuddin mosque earlier this month as the state records its first coronavirus case from Silchar.
The cabinet also announced a COVID-19 package which will encompass over 70 lakh people.
"58 lakh people under National Food Security Act (NFSA) will get free rice; non-card holders of NFSA will get Rs 1000. People in the tribal dominated areas will also get Rs 1000," a statement by the state government said.
The government added, "Around 2.78 lakh construction registered workers engaged in embankment construction will also get Rs 1,000. Trucks carrying essential items will be allowed to ply from April 1."
Around 6 lakh registered farming families would be given Rs 2500 financial asistance, the statement added.
The country has been under lockdown from March 24 midnight in a bid to fight COVID-19. Over 1,200 cases have been reported from across the country and 32 people have died. The virus, which originated in China's Wuhan has spread exponentially across the world and affected over 7,30,000 people globally.