Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government expects around 5 lakh Odias to return to the State once the lockdown restrictions are lifted. The Government has brought out detailed guidelines for expatriates returning to the State.
Panchayati Raj Department Principal Secretary DK Singh here on Wednesday said about 5 lakh people belonging to the State are expected to return home in coming days.
“For this, the State Government would open a portal on April 24. Sarapanchs would ensure that all returnees get registered before their arrival. BDOs have been asked to appoint a nodal officer for each GP and to form a five-member team to look into Corona affairs in each panchayat,” said Singh.
Upon their arrival at their destinations, the concerned block officials will take them to temporary medical camps for a 14-day mandatory quarantine in their respective. A total of around 7,000 medical camps have already been set up at the gram panchayats across the State, said Singh.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik granted the Collector’s power to Sarpanchs to enforce institutional quarantine of the returnees. He also held a meeting with almost all the Sarpanchs through video conferencing and administered oath to 6,700 Sarpanchs through videoconferencing to work with sincerity to stop the spread of Coronavirus (Covid-19) in Gram Panchayats.
