Centre directs transfer of 6 IAS officers to Delhi to assist in COVID-19 management

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New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday (June 14) directed immediate transfer of 6 Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officers from Centre, Arunachal Pradesh and Andaman & Nicobar to Delhi to assist in the COVID-19 management in the national capital.

Amit Shah took the decision while chairing a key meeting with the Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal amid rapid growth in coronavirus infections in Delhi. 

Awanish Kumar and Monica Priyadarshini from Andaman & Nicobar, and Gaurav Singh Rajawat along with Vikram Singh Mallik from Arunachal Pradesh were transferred to New Delhi to assist GNCTD for management of COVID-19.

The Home Minister also directed attachment to GNCTD of two senior IAS officers - SCL Das and SS Yadav from Centre.

Strengthening of containment measures, ramping up testing and adequate health infrastructure preparedness were discussed in the meeting.

The HM also informed that the Centre will provide 500 railway coaches to Delhi in view of the shortage of beds for COVID-19 patients.

"These railway coaches will not only increase the number of beds in Delhi by 8,000, but these coaches will also be equipped with all facilities to fight COVID-19," he said.

The HM stated that coronavirus testing in the national capital will be doubled in the next two days and be tripled in six days.

Here are some of the major decision taken by the MHA after today's meeting:

1. 500 coaches to be made COVID-19 wards with 8,000 beds
2. Contact mapping across all containment zones
3. Coronavirus testing to be doubled in two days and tripled in six days
4. House to house survey and contract tracing will be carried out.
5. Aarogya Setu app to be made compulsory in containment zones in the national capital.

The meeting comes in the wake of a shocking number of COVID-19 cases in Delhi where the confirmed cases count has nearly touched 39,000 with over 1,200 people succumbing to the fatal virus.