Amarinder urges Punjab industrialists to give full pay to workers during lockdown

With the Punjab government announcing a statewide lockdown till March 31 to check the spread of coronavirus, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday appealed to industrialists in the state not to deduct salaries of their employees for this period. He also lauded industrial groups which have announced that their workers will be given full wages.

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The lockdown, which was announced earlier in the day, came into force immediately."I appreciate the decision of Mr @Rajinder_Gupta, Chairman, @TridentGroupInd, to close down their unit and offer full wages, housing and food to his employees during closure. I would urge other Industrialists in the State to do the same and set an example for the Nation," Singh said in a tweet.

Sonalika Tractors also announced to give full wages to its employees during the lockdown period. "I appreciate the decision of Hon'ble CM sir to lockdown the state of Punjab till 31st March 2020 to break the chain of Covid-19 disease. We at Sonalika tractors have closed our unit till 31st March with full wages to our employees for the betterment of state and Nation," said Sonalika Tractors' Vice Chairman A S Mittal in his message to the state government.

Announcing the lockdown on Twitter, Singh had said, "Ordered statewide lock down till 31st March to check spread of Covid 19." "All essential Govt services will continue & shops selling essential items such as milk, food items, medicines, etc will be open. All DCs & SSPs have been directed to implement the restrictions immediately," he said.

Novel coronavirus cases in the country climbed to 341 on Sunday. Punjab has reported 13 cases so far, according to the Union Health Ministry.

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