Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said an advisory group is being set up to tide over the economic crisis that looms large in the wake of the coronavirus and the nationwide lockdown imposed to deal with the pandemic. The board will have Nobel Laureate Abhijeet Banerjee as its member.
“We don't know how long this (lockdown) will continue. We have to plan our future. We will form a Global Advisory Board (GAB) to formulate a COVID1-9 response policy. We are in touch with Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerje. He will a part of the board. We have to plan for our future because we don’t get large donations like what the central government receives. I am not complaining, but I am just trying to put forward the facts,” the chief minister said during a press conference on Monday.
Earlier, it was reported the Indian-American economist, who jointly won the Nobel prize with his wife Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer last year "for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty", had offered to help the Bengal government in tackling the crisis by generating awareness on the disease through social messaging platforms. He had reportedly spoken the CM in this regard.
Meanwhile, the chief minister said the state is not receiving enough Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) from the Centre and the Narendra Modi-led Union government is not serious in its efforts to deal with the pandemic.
“On Sunday, we received only 3,000 PPEs from the Centre. The PPEs are yellow coloured and we have to see if there’s anything about it. It is our duty to protect those who are fighting this battle from the front like doctors, nurses and other hospital staff. If they are not safe, then who would take care of the patients?” she said.
While claiming that her government has managed to arrange a good number of PPEs for health workers, the CM said, “We have arranged 2,27,000 PPEs on our own. Our priority is to protect the frontline warriors.”
Regarding the non-availability of N-95 masks, Banerjee, who is also the Trinamool Congress supremo, said her government had made a request of 5 lakhs masks, but received only 10,000 of the same.
“Finally, we have ordered our own masks and we are receiving it in a phased manner.”
On allegations that the government is trying to supress figures in terms of coronavirus patients and deaths, she said, “As of 12pm on Monday, the total number of active cases reported in West Bengal is 61 of which 55 cases are from seven families only. We came to know that 99% of the COVID-19 cases have international link. There have been three deaths related to the infection so far.”
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