Coronavirus Alert: Odisha Govt Forms Unit To Monitor Flow Of Goods

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Sunday constituted a state-level monitoring unit on goods and services with immediate effect. This was done in view of the restrictions imposed by the state government for the management of COVID-19 and for monitoring smooth facilitation of movement of goods into and within the state.

Briefing mediapersons here, Chief Spokesperson of Govt. of Odisha on COVID-19, Subroto Bagchi said that the unit, to be headed by the Principal Secretary, Water Resources, will have Principal Secretary, Housing and Urban Development, Transport Commissioner, Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare, Director, Special Projects and an officer of the rank of Additional Director General (ADG) of the Odisha Police (to be nominated by the Director General of Police) as other members.

The unit will carry on the following: Assess requirements and monitor the flow of goods and take immediate actions to remove bottlenecks, if any, and create a platform to facilitate traders and transporters to air their issues and resolve the same.

“This will be a self-sufficient monitoring unit to take appropriate decisions without waiting for any instructions for approvals,” he added.

Stating that there shall be no restriction on movement of permitted goods including coal and other minerals to ensure smooth supply chain, Bagchi said all permitted goods vehicles shall be allowed to move unhindered.

Apart from this, wholesale markets shall function 24X7 on a rotation basis with time-slotting for different wholesalers to operate to avoid over-crowding.

Besides, the field functionaries of Food Supply & Consumer Welfare Department, Police and Transport Department have been instructed to ensure smooth movement of vehicles carrying permitted goods as per the lockdown order of the Health & Family Welfare Department.

Bagchi also said that the SANJOG Helpline toll-free number (155335) shall be utilised for registering and addressing all grievances by the traders, shopkeepers and wholesalers who face any problem relating to smooth supply and movement of permitted goods traffic. This shall function from morning to night in two shifts.

Replying to a question on the apprehension of the people on the movement of goods vehicles during the lockdown period, Bagchi said that though the movement of the goods vehicles was restricted during the Janata curfew on Sunday, there will be no restriction on their movement during the lockdown period till March 29.