Rijiju visits SAI office as sports ministry resumes operations

New Delhi, April 13 (IANS) The Union Sports Ministry on Monday resumed its operations with a minimum number of staff after more than a fortnight amid the outbreak of coronavirus which has infected more than 9,000 people in the country so far.

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju visited the Sports Authority of India’s headquarters wearing a mask and sanitised his hands before entering the premises.

“Officers of the Sports Authority of India and Sports Ministry have resumed work from today. Kiren Rijiju attended office at SAI at 9.30am,” Office of Kiren Rijiju tweeted earlier in the day.

Rijiju said all precautions, including social distancing, wearing masks, temperature checks will be followed strictly to ensure complete safety amid the pandemic.

All ministers were last week asked to resume office from Monday along with joint secretary level officers and one-third of their essential staff as the nation-wide lockdown period ends on Tuesday.

On March 21, the SAI office was shut down as part of precautionary measures to contain the spread of novel coronavirus which has so far claimed more than 300 lives in the country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on Tuesday 10:00 am wherein he is expected to extend the lockdown after several states demanded for the same.

–IANS

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