Assam Unlock: Further lockdown relaxations announced, fully vaccinated employees to resume office from July 1

The Assam government on Saturday announced further lockdown relaxations in the state. Earlier this week, the state government had extended the COVID-19 restriction till June 22, easing certain curbs in some districts.

According to the new norms, the state government has allowed the fully vaccinated employees to resume offices from July 1. Issuing a statement, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that from July 1, the government and private offices that have all their employees fully vaccinated can operate according to normal office hours.

The state government is likely to allow such offices to operate till around 5 pm from next month. Earlier in the week, the Assam government had announced a fresh set of guidelines including shortening of curfew hours in districts where COVID-19 cases have declined considerably.

Further, the Assam government has set a target of administering COVID-19 vaccines to three lakh people daily from Monday for the next 10 days. "If we can meet the target of inoculating at least 2.80 lakh to 3 lakh people daily for the next 10 days, the central government will ensure that we continue to get more vaccines in July as well," CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Meanwhile, the Assam government on Friday decided to provide 'incentive' as well as 'waive off' options to over 2 million women across the state who had taken loans from microfinance companies. The CM said that the move is aimed at keeping the Bharatiya Janata Party's poll promise of waiving off microfinance loans.