Delhi Confidential: Care For All

At Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave each Union minister responsibility of one state each to monitor the coronavirus situation and issues related to the lockdown. The ministers are expected to be in touch with the district magistrates and district collectors in the state concerned and report to the Prime Minister every day. So, while Nirmala Sitharaman would keep an eye on Andhra Pradesh, Assam will be monitored by V K Singh and Kiren Rijijju will have to report on Arunachal Pradesh. Ram Vilas Paswan will look at Bihar and Smriti Irani will have to report on Chhattisgarh.

Update On Updates

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) discontinued its twice-daily updates on samples tested and found positive for COVID-19 from Thursday, apparently to “do away with the confusion created because of too many different figures”. On any given day, ICMR would give out figures higher than that on the Health Ministry website, and this caused some discomfort.

Open House

BJP’s Agra MP Prof S P Singh Baghel has offered help for people from his constituency who are stranded in Delhi due to the lockdown. Baghel, who was in Agra on Thursday, made an appeal through a letter and a video. He said those stuck can stay at his official residence in Delhi — 7, K Kamraj Lane -– if the police and the local administration allow them. They will be provided food and accommodation, he mentioned. A fourth-time Parliamentarian, Baghel is perhaps the first MP to make such an appeal to the stranded people.