HYDERABAD: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy said that ‘Lockdown 4.0’ might be the last one and there might not be an extension after May 31. Addressing the media online on Monday, he lauded three Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical companies for their ongoing efforts for discovering a COVID-19 vaccine.
Expressing sorrow over the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Hyderabad, he said that people in the villages were strictly following the lockdown. “People in the city must learn from rural inhabitants. The Central government wants to create more containment zones in Hyderabad. We hope that the State government would follow the Centre’s instructions in fighting the pandemic.”
Stating that the Centre has extended the Ayushman Bharat Scheme to migrant workers, he said that the scheme could also be used to receive treatment against COVID-19 in private hospitals. The Minister also said that the Centre has planned to set up a TV channel to educate students.
Electricity bills
Speaking about power consumption during the lockdown, Kishan said, “The State governments have been providing free electricity for the people, but they’re not paying the bills to discoms on time. It is important to note that several parts of Hyderabad are still struggling without regular power supply.”