Bihar: This time, the restrictions will not be applicable on hotels, restaurants (Representational)
The Bihar government on Friday decided that all shops and commercial establishments will function till 7 pm, while schools, colleges and coaching centres will remain shut for another one week till April 18.
Announcing the decisions, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said at an all-party meeting, as advised by Governor Phagu Chauhan, will be convened soon to seek their suggestions on how to check the spread of the infection more effectively in the state besides regulating political activities in light of spiralling coronavirus cases.
This time, the restrictions will not be applicable on hotels, restaurants and dhabas, but these establishments also need to adhere to the Covid safety guidelines, Principal Secretary, Health, Pratyaya Amrit told reporters in the presence of Mr Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Tarkishore Prasad and Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Singh.
Mr Kumar, who had on Thursday attended a meeting of chief ministers with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the COVID-19 situation, told reporters that the state government will ramp up the vaccination drive between April 11 and 14.
He said efforts would be made to vaccinate nearly four lakh eligible beneficiaries daily on these four days.
Asserting that there is no shortage of vaccines in the state, Amrit said, "We received nine lakh doses today. In view of intensifying the inoculation process from April 11 to 14, we will request the Centre to provide an additional supply of vaccines."
The Chief Minister said the number of sample tests, which had gone down in view of an improvement in the situation earlier, has been increased substantially, and now it is almost touching one lakh daily.
The opening of schools, colleges, coaching centres was deferred by a week till April 11 earlier in the light of resurgence in COVID-19 cases, and will remain shut till April 18, Amrit said.