Schools, colleges to reopen in Jharkhand on March 1

Government offices, schools, colleges, coaching centres, cinema halls and parks across Jharkhand will reopen on March 1 after being closed for almost a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chief Minister Hemant Soren said on Thursday.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Soren during the day.

He said hundred per cent attendance will be mandatory for government employees.

Schools will reopen on that date for students of class 8 and above. Colleges are also set to reopen, the chief minister told newsmen after a meeting of the Jharkhand State Disaster Manangement Authority.

He said that the government is gradually relaxing the lockdown rules considering the health of the people. The guidelines of the government for the prevetion of the disease will have to be followed.

As per the standard operatig procedures set by the Centre cinema halls in the state will be allowed to open with 50 per cet capacity.

School students will be called for classes only with the consent of their parents.

The ban on all kinds of procession will continue, he said.

The chief minister said the coronavirus transition period is not yet over and the campaign to make people aware of it should not stop.

Training will be allowed in ITIs from February 25 as the students are required to write their examiations.

State universities have been given the freedom to work in accordance with the UGC guidelines, Soren said.

He said organsing any kind of game or event in open spaces with a maximum audience of 1000 people will be allowed, as also in the case of fairs and exhibitions.

Swimming pools will be open for selected swimmers.

The chief minister said that there has been a decrease in the number of coronavirus patients in Jharkhand. But keeping in mind the need for precaution, arrangements will be made at Ranchi airport and major railway stations in the state for collecting swab samples of those coming from outside.

He directed the opening of Anganwadi centres from April 1 and ordered that corona vaccines should be administered to their workers before that.