CM Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray's address to the State:

I want to thank people of all religions, social organizations and political parties for their co-operation.

Eid will be celebrated in a day or two. My greetings to our Muslim brethren. I will request them to co-operate in this unprecedented situation by not coming to the streets and praying at home. In your prayers, seek ‘dua’ for the Corona pandemic to be eradicated .

The Central Govt team which comes periodically, had given us a projection that 1.25 to 1.5 lakh patients were likely to be detected in Maharashtra by May-end. But, today we have 33,786 active cases in Maharashtra, and another 13,000 have been cured and discharged.

This has happened because of the discipline shown by you. These curbs on your free movement were for your own good.

From new-born children to nonagenarian grandmother, everyone is countering Corona successfully.

I am making a humble appeal to blood donors again. We can again show what the blood of people of Maharashtra is made up of and how it stands up to adversities. This blood will meet requirements of COVID and non-COVID patients.

Extra care must be taken during the coming monsoons, especially by those with co-morbidities like those aged above 55, diabetes, blood pressure, kidney ailments. Approach doctors if you show any symptoms.

Now, it has come to light that the primary symptoms of Corona also include persistent fever, lack of taste and smell, tiredness. So, seek medical care immediately instead of ignoring these signs.

Though it is globally recognised that there are no medicines for Corona, our doctors are trying their best and must be thanked for this. They are speaking to doctors across the world and sharing their experiences. They have evolved a medical treatment protocol.

I am proud that in rural areas, in Vidarbha, Marathwada, North Maharashtra, Western Maharashtra and Konkan, people have entered the fray and prevented the transmission of the disease. In Sambhajinagar and Malegaon, the situation is coming under control.

Many are asking why we did not give a package. We will do that but let us fight this medical crisis first. There have been many packages, which have been claimed to be worth lakhs of crores, but they are empty in reality. Our Maha Vikas Aghadi Govt does not give empty promises.

We are giving PDS grain to even those who do not have ration cards, we are giving cooked meals, over one lakh people are being served the Shivbhojan thali at ₹5 instead of ₹10. This goes much beyond any package.

In the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, everyone will get completely free medical treatment in empanelled hospitals.

We have sought 80 trains daily for migrant labour to go back home, but only 50% trains are being allowed. We have the capacity to register more.

Migrant workers are thanking authorities for taking care of them & leaving with a big smile is a sign that we provided for them well.

The ST has also done a yeoman’s service. From May 5 to 23, around 32,000 trips were undertaken by ST buses covering 3.80 lakh workers. They dropped migrant labour walking on the road to nearby Stations & also till the State border.

We are arranging for the quarantine of students, and those who were held up in other States and countries, and are now coming back by air.

The academic season and kharif crop season will begin soon. We have formed a study group to determine if we can start schools and colleges in June, and will decide on it. If schools cannot be reopened, we will decide on how education can be resumed.

The decision about the final year exams will be taken soon.

There is no need for the students and their parents to be worried, the Maharashtra Govt will safeguard your future.

A couple of days ago, I was part of a VC with Congress President Sonia Gandhi ji and other leaders. I said the real picture about our country will be clear in the coming fortnight due to the migration and the likely transmission of the virus due to the movement of people.

This intra-state movement from one district to another has been allowed to an extent. But, this can be permitted on a large scale only after following precautions. We have allowed shops and offices to open in some areas.

We are also considering if the theatre, film and television industries can be allowed to resume shooting and post-production activities like dubbing and editing. They have asked us if they can shoot in the Green zone before the monsoons with due precautions.

This is being considered. We are also considering allowing outdoor games.

The cabinet held a meeting to prepare for the Kharif season. We are launching a new project to make seeds and fertilisers available to farmers in their fields.

Since day one, we never stopped any agriculture activities or transport of produce. We are taking care of farmers.

We have purchased 75 to 80% cotton in areas like Vidarbha, Marathwada and North Maharashtra, and this is still underway.

Paddy and maize procurement will be ensured. Farmers will always get our support.

We are augmenting medical facilities. Testing labs are being increased. In Ratnagiri, we have permitted a test lab, and a virology lab will be established soon at Sindhudurg.

I sincerely feel that this is a time of crisis, and hence, no one should play politics. You may do it, but we will not as we are vested with a responsibility and above all, the people of Maharashtra trust us.