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Tag: ashok gehlot

  • CM Ashok Gehlot urges Centre to rush 201 metric tonnes of medical oxygen to Rajasthan

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday urged the Centre to send 201 metric tonnes of medical oxygen on an emergency basis to the state to help it deal with the crisis arising out of the raging coronavirus pandemic.

    He said the state government needed 466 metric tonnes of medical oxygen for those under treatment for COVID-19, but has only 265 metric tonnes in its stock.

    “Today, there is a shortage of about 201 metric tonnes of oxygen in Rajasthan. The number of cases of infection in the state constitutes 5 % of the total cases in the country but oxygen allocation is just 1.6%. The state will require a total of 550 metric tonnes of oxygen within a week. Therefore, there is another request for the Central Government that 201 metric tonnes of oxygen be allocated to the state today as an emergency.” Gehlot tweeted.

    He said the number of active coronavirus cases in the state currently is 1.70 lakh and 20,400 patients require oxygen support.

    It may be that the central government has taken control of oxygen and medicines for better management but if the states want to help each other, they should be allowed under the supervision of the Centre, Gehlot said.

    Rajasthan has so far recorded 5,80,846 coronavirus cases and 4,084 deaths.

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  • Gehlot favours continuing lockdown, asks officials to make them more stringent

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday night asked the officials to continue with the restrictions imposed under the lockdown and to make them more stringent in order to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

    Chairing a COVID-19 review meeting through video conference, Gehlot said stricter guidelines are required in view of the rapidly spreading infection in the state.

    The restrictions under the lockdown called ‘Public Discipline Fortnight’ came into force on April 19 and are effective till May 3.

    Now, the chief minister has asked the officials that the restrictions should remain in force even after May 3.

    He said the guidelines should be prepared while considering the concerns of the livelihood of the needy.

    The CM asked the officials to prepare guidelines to curb unnecessary public movement.

    He also asked them to take care of the livelihood of the needy while preparing the guidelines.

    He said that health minister, chief secretary, principal secretary Home and DGP should prepare the guidelines keeping in mind all the present circumstances, according to a release.

    Gehlot informed in the meeting that he has spoken to the Union Home minister, national security advisor, cabinet secretary and principal secretary to PM about the supply of oxygen and Remdesivir injections so that the crisis in the state could be controlled.

    He also asked the officials to expedite the process of import of oxygen concentrators and other resources from other countries.

    Health minister Raghu Sharma, Chief Secretary Niranjan Arya, DGP ML Lather and other senior officials were present in the meeting.

  • Gehlot dials Shah, PMO over shortage of oxygen, medicines for COVID patients as state records 158 deaths in a day

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday called Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, principal secretary to prime minister PK Mishra and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval regarding the shortage of oxygen and medicines for COVID-19 patients in the state.

    Gehlot tweeted about this, saying they were requested to provide oxygen and necessary medicines in proportion to the number of active cases, which are rapidly increasing in the state.

    The chief minister said the number of active cases has gone up to 1.70 lakh and reasoned that oxygen and medicines should be allocated to the state in proportion of the active case count as soon as possible so that the public can get relief.

    The state recorded 158 coronavirus-related deaths, the highest so far in a single-day, in the last 24 hours, raising the fatality count to 4,084 on Thursday, while 17,269 fresh cases pushed the infection tally to 5,80,846, according to an official report.

    Chief minister Ashok Gehlot, former Barmer MP Manvendra Singh were among those who tested positive for the infection on Thursday, while Girraj Singh Lotwara, president of Shree Rajput Sabha, died from the coronavirus.

    Jaipur accounted for a maximum of the new new fatalities linked to the virus, registering 32 deaths, followed by 30 in Jodhpur; 12 in Udaipur; 10 each in Sikar and Barmer; eight in Kota; seven in Bikaner and Dungarpur; six in Bhilwara and five in Alwar.

    The remaining deaths were reported from other districts.

    The state capital also registered a maximum of 3,602 fresh COVID-19 cases, followed by Jodhpur which recorded 2,036 new infections.

    A total of 4,07,243 people have recovered from the infection in Rajasthan and the number of active cases stands at 1,69,519, according to the report.

    Coronavirus patients with acute symptoms should be admitted to hospitals while the asymptomatic ones and those with mild traits can be treated at home with their oxygen level monitored regularly, according to a Rajasthan government guideline issued on Friday.

    The guidelines for admission and discharge of COVID-19 patients, prepared after consultation with senior doctors, was issued by Medical Education Secretary Vaibhav Galaria on the instruction of state Health Minister Raghu Sharma.

    Asymptomatic patients or those with mild symptoms can be treated at home and their oxygen level should be monitored regularly through pulse oximeter, Principal of SMS Medical Hospital in Jaipur Dr Sudhir Bhandari was quoted as saying in a release.

    He said if there is a breathing problem, pain in the chest or nausea then the treatment monitored by doctors should be started and if the symptoms are acute, then the patient should be hospitalised.

    If the oxygen level of the patient inhaled in a room is continuously more than 90 per cent or able to arrange oxygen at home and the parameters are improving then the patient can be discharged from the hospital, Bhandari said.

    Negative RTPCR test report is not required for such discharging patients whose parameters are improving, he said.

  • Ashok Gehlot isolates himself after wife tests positive for COVID-19

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot isolated himself on Wednesday on Wednesday after his wife Sunita Gehlot tested positive for coronavirus.

    Gehlot tweeted that his wife has tested positive for COVID, though she is asymptomatic, and as per protocol, her treatment has started under home isolation.

    He said he will be in isolation as a precautionary measure and will hold daily review meeting with doctors and officers at 8.30 pm.

    Rajasthan recorded 120 COVID-19 deaths and a record 16,613 positive cases in a single day on Wednesday, taking the overall figures to 3,926 fatalities and 5,63,577 infections, according to official data.

    The number of active cases also rose to 1,63,372, the report showed.

    Deaths were reported from Jodhpur (33), Jaipur (32), Udaipur (11), Bikaner (7), Alwar (5), Kota (4), Sikar, Bharatpur and Ajmer (3 each), Dungapur, Bhilwara and Sawai Modhopur (2 each), besides other districts.

    A total of 3,96,279 Covid-19 patients have recovered in the state so far.

  • Acquire all tankers across country for supply of oxygen to states, Ashok Gehlot urges PM Modi

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone, urging him to acquire all tankers across the country to supply medical oxygen to the states, official sources said.

    The way the Centre has acquired the oxygen plants in the country, it should acquire all tankers for the transportation of the life-saving gas to the states, the chief minister said, adding that only then their complaints will be addressed.

    Meanwhile, a group of three ministers reached Delhi to meet Union ministers over the issues.

    State Health Minister Raghu Sharma, Urban Development and Housing Minister Shanti Dhariwal and Power Minister BD Kalla met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who is an MP from Rajasthan’s Kota, and Union Minister of State for Chemical and Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya.

    “They requested the minister to ensure the supply of medicines, including Remdesivir injections, to Rajasthan,” according to a state Health Department spokesperson here.

    At a review meeting on Monday night, Gehlot had directed them to go to Delhi to meet Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and others.

    Earlier on Tuesday, Gehlot also spoke to Congress president Sonia Gandhi over the phone and apprised her of the current coronavirus situation in the state.

    Gehlot held a discussion about the shortage of medical oxygen, tankers and medicines, according to sources.

    On the other hand, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal attacked Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, accusing him of levelling false allegations against the Centre over the supply of medical oxygen and Remdesivir injections.

    Contrary to the claim that only 80 metric tonnes of oxygen is being given to Rajasthan daily, more than 265 metric tonnes of the life-saving gas has been supplied to the state every day from April 20, said Meghwal.

    Similarly, the state quota for Remdesivir injections has been doubled by the Centre, he told reporters here.

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  • Oxygen shortage: Rajasthan govt levelling false allegations against Centre, says Meghwal

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Tuesday attacked Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, accusing him of levelling false allegations against the Centre over the supply of medical oxygen and Remdesivir injections to the state.

    He said the Centre has formed an empowered committee for the allocation and every state is being supplied oxygen according to its requirements.

    Contrary to the claim that only 80 metric tonnes of oxygen is being given to Rajasthan daily, more than 265 metric tonnes of the life-saving gas has been supplied to the state every day from April 20, said Meghwal.

    Similarly, the state quota for Remdesivir injections has been doubled by the Centre, he claimed, amid a spurt in coronavirus cases.

    “False allegations are being levelled by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his ministers regarding the availability of Remdesivir injections and oxygen supply to mislead people,” he told reporters in a virtual press conference.

    Giving details, Meghwal said 169.27 metric tonnes of oxygen was supplied to the state on April 15, which has been continuously increasing.

    On April 24, 330.6 metric tonnes of oxygen was supplied, he said.

    Targeting the Rajasthan government, Meghwal claimed that about a year ago, the Centre had allocated funds for oxygen plants and other resources to every state.

    Despite it, the Rajasthan government did not set up any oxygen plant, he alleged.

    Had the state government been serious, it would have been producing 1,600 oxygen cylinders every day by now, he claimed.

    The state is facing a shortage of medical oxygen amid a spurt in coronavirus cases.

    According to officials, the requirement of oxygen cylinders has reached 31,425 a day from 6,500 three months ago.

    Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot too at a virtual meeting with PM Narendra Modi last week had flagged the issue, demanding that the Centre ensure the supply of oxygen, medicines and other resources to states in a planned and equitable manner.

    He said the states should be allocated oxygen and Remdesivir injections on the basis of their number of active cases.

    The chief minister had pointed out that on April 21, Rajasthan was allocated only 26,500 Remdesivir injections, whereas Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, which had less cases than his state, were given 1.63 lakh and 92,200 injections, respectively.

  • Rajasthan CM announces free jabs for all above 18; health minister says Centre ‘hijacking’ vaccine stocks

    Express News Service
    JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government will provide free Covid-19 vaccine to all those above 18 years of age in the state. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced the move on Sunday which will cost Rs 3,000 crore to the state exchequer.

    “It would have been better that according to the demand of the State Governments, for the Government of India to have afforded the cost of vaccination of the youth from the age of 18 to 45 years. If the Centre had given free vaccines as it did for all those above the age of 45 years, the budget of the states would not have been disturbed,” Gehlot tweeted in Hindi. 

    While CM Gehlot’s decision is most welcome for the 18-45 age group which was waiting to get free inoculation, there is still considerable confusion on whether vaccines will be immediately available in Rajasthan in large scale.

    Earlier in the day, Health Minister Raghu Sharma had joined the health ministers of three other Congress ruled states to ask how they will vaccinate all adults when the Centre has already “taken away the stocks” and shots are not available to them. 

    Addressing a virtual joint press conference, the health ministers of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Punjab and Jharkhand (ruled by Congress-JMM alliance) accused the Centre of “hijacking” vaccine stocks from manufacturers, and expressed doubts if it would be possible to launch the inoculation drive to cover those between 18-45 years of age from May 1. 

    Raghu Sharma said that when the state government reached out to the Serum Institute of India (SII) it was told that no vaccines were available till May 15, though the central government had announced opening of vaccines for all above the age of 18 from May 1.

    “When we reached out to the Serum Institute, to procure additional stock of vaccines for the drive to vaccinate all above 18 years of age from May 1, we were told that the Institute will not be able to give any doses till May 15. They said that they are booked till then delivering orders to the Centre,” Sharma said.

    “We have the capacity, but not the vaccine,” Sharma said. “States should get the supplies. The Government of India should provide vaccines as per their requirements,” Sharma added.

    The success of the drive depends on availability of shots, the Rajasthan Health Minister said.

  • Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot convenes cabinet meeting to discuss shortage of oxygen for COVID patients

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Amid rising concern over shortage of oxygen and medicines for COVID-19 patients, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has convened a cabinet meeting on Thursday evening.

    “The issues of short supply of oxygen and shortage of medicines will be specially discussed in the cabinet meeting to be held at 5 pm,” official sources said.

    The state government has requested the Centre for increasing the supply of oxygen in view of the spiralling cases.

    In Rajasthan, there are more than 96,0000 active cases at present and the infection is spreading at a fast speed.

    On Wednesday, 14622 persons had tested positive for the virus and 62 patients died.

  • Centre should announce free vaccination against COVID for all citizens: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

    The veteran Congress leader said the second wave of the pandemic, in which both the infection and mortality rates are very high, is extremely dangerous.

  • ‘Centre should ensure adequate availability of vaccines’: Gehlot amid Rajasthan’s worsening COVID situation

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: With the Centre deciding to open vaccination for all above 18 years from May, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday said the government should ensure adequate availability of vaccines.

    “Finally the Central govt has relented & taken decision to allow everyone above 18 to be vaccinated. The Central govt should now ensure adequate availability of vaccines so that people above the age of 18 years can be vaccinated asap, ” he tweeted.

    “We look forward to a rational & transparent strategy for vaccine distribution among states in the coming days,” he added.

    The Centre announced on Monday that everyone above 18 years of age will be eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19 from May 1 and allowed states, private hospitals and industrial establishments to procure the doses directly from manufacturers.

    Under the third phase of the national vaccination drive commencing next month, the vaccine manufacturers would supply 50 per cent of their monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) released doses to the central government and would be free to supply the remaining 50 per cent doses to state governments and in the open market.

    Rajasthan on Monday recorded 11,967 fresh COVID-19 cases, its biggest one-day spike in infections, bringing the tally to 4,26,584, while the death toll mounted to 3,204 with 53 more fatalities, according to a bulletin.

    Meanwhile, lockdown-like restrictions under the ”Jan Anushasan Pakhwada” (public discipline fortnight) began in Rajasthan on Monday and will remain in force till May 3.

    Routine traffic was seen on roads.

    Shops, except those providing essential services, remained shut.

    Some private offices remained open despite the government guidelines.

    Only shops and offices providing essential services are permitted to open during the 15-day period.

    The latest bulletin puts the number of active COVID-19 cases in Rajasthan at 76,641.

    Of the fresh cases, 2,011 were registered in Jaipur, 1,641 in Jodhpur, 1,307 in Kota, 702 in Udaipur, 701 in Alwar, 550 in Bhilwara, 403 in Ajmer and 401 in Bikaner, it said.

    Thirteen of the new fatalities linked to the virus were reported from Jodhpur, 11 from Jaipur, eight from Udaipur, six from Kota besides deaths recorded in other districts.

    According to the bulletin, a total of 3,46,739 people in the state have recovered from the infection.

    Rajasthan had reported 42 deaths due to the coronavirus and 10,514 new cases on Sunday.

    The Rajasthan government had imposed a night curfew in the entire state from April 16.

    All educational and coaching institutes will too remain shut till April 30.