Government Offices In Nagaland To Open From Monday

All government offices in Nagaland, including the civil secretariat and the directorates in capital Kohima and Dimapur, will resume functioning with skeletal staff from Monday.

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio held a meeting with all the districts task forces led by the deputy commissioners through video conferencing on Saturday. The state is waiting for the centre's final advisory on the possible extension of the lockdown and then issue further orders, state government sources said.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who held a four-hour meet with at least 13 Chief Ministers on video conference on Saturday, has indicated that the lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic would be extended by two weeks after considering the requests of the Chief Ministers, who preferred a longer containment period. 

According to official sources, the Nagaland government has directed the administrative heads of departments, heads of departments and heads of offices to work out detailed arrangements for the staff who will need to attend office on a roster system. 

Those not attending office on a particular day will have to be available on telephone and electronic means of communication at all times, the official source said.

The government also directed necessary arrangements to be made for ensuring that officials stick to all social distancing rules and follow necessary health safety measures at work.

Nagaland has no coronavirus cases so far. Government sources said that 70 samples were sent till Saturday for testing and their results are negative.

Nagaland is also among the states that have issued orders on the ban of use of smokeless tobacco products and spitting in public places during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Coronavirus or COVID-19 has infected 8,356 and killed 273 in India so far.