The Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday held it’s first virtual cabinet meeting as the ministers joined in a video conference from their offices while Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ensured his presence from his hospital room.
Chouhan had tested positive for COVID-19 on last Saturday and was admitted to Chirayu Hospital in the city.
Chouhan started convening virtual meetings from his hospital room starting Monday, when he reviewed law and order situation followed by a review of the pandemic situation in the afternoon.
On Tuesday, the chief minister began the meeting by briefing the Cabinet about his own health status. The Cabinet went on to rename the Chambal Expressway as Chambal Progress Way and approved the project under Bharatmala scheme.
Further, the chief minister reviewed the COVID-19 situation in the state and issued necessary instructions to the ministers. It was also decided that contract inked with the private hospitals for COVID-19 treatment could be extended if needed beyond three months period.
The meet also approved a Rs 14 crore-loan scheme for street vendors affected by COVID-19 lockdown and Rs 12,799 crore has been sanctioned for crop insurance scheme, said Home minister Narottam Mishra after the meeting.
Opposition Congress party took strong objection to this virtual Cabinet meet saying the oath of office and secrecy was compromised for gaining cheap publicity with this virtual cabinet meeting.
Party spokesperson Durgesh Sharma in a statement said that this virtual meet has put a question mark on the policy, functioning and intent of the state government.
Addressing CM Chouhan, Sharma questioned what is the urgent need for this virtual meeting when the chief minister hadn’t convened Cabinet meeting for a long time. "Some of the ministers were sitting inside district party offices and this clearly breached the secrecy of the cabinet meet."
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