ASSAM CM Sonowal announces 50 lakh insurance cover for Police personnel & others engaged in COVID-19 related assignments

The Assam government will provide Rs 50 lakh insurance cover to the police personnel and other frontline officials engaged in fighting   COVID-19. This will be in addition to the Rs 50-lakh insurance cover initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Appreciating the proactive role by the Assam Police in ensuring the lockdown in the State, the Chief Minister said they are facilitating availability of essential commodities during the national crisis. Assam Police has been able to win the trust and goodwill of the people with their exemplary service, Sonowal said.DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta and other top officials of Assam Police updated CM Sonowal on the steps being taken by the police department to maintain law and order. He was also informed about various steps being taken by the Assam Police to check misinformation and rumours on social media. About 200 complaints had been registered by police for posting of provocative statements on social media, while 120 such objectionable posts had been removed, The Assam Tribune reported quoting official sources. The police officials also informed the Chief Minister that more than 1,500 quarantine facilities had been kept ready at 47 places with adequate number of medical professionals, besides 340 police nursing staff. Assam Police has also kept a stock of 50,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, 30,000 masks, 2,000 N-95 masks, a huge quantity of bleaching powder and disinfectants, and 500 spray machines to fight the COVID-19.Meanwhile, the tour operators, who are among the worst affected due to the lockdown, have pleaded with the Assam government for providing collateral-free ‘tourism loans’ with low interest rates, long-term and flexible repayment to interested tour operators and instruct all banks and private financial institutions from where business loans or private finances may have been availed by tour operators, to defer the EMIs by at least nine months. In the meantime, for the first time in many years, the illicit outfits in the state that engage in import and export of certain commodities to and from neighbouring countries and states have come to a grinding halt, claims News 18. the officers and smugglers involved in the racket have understood that it makes sense to put a stop to these syndicates for the time being. Trucks carrying cattle or betel nut at night and headed towards the border could attract wide media attention and further expose their roles in the activities. They are illicit business networks involving transportation of items either from neighbouring countries or states by dodging the law which includes producing false invoices. While some commodities are sent to destinations outside Assam, a few are exported to Bangladesh, News 18 says. (image courtesy: ANI)