BH CORRESPONDENT, New Delhi: The number of COVID-19 cases in the country on Sunday has crossed 100 and the Centre and state governments are taking all preventive measures to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus. Now, the Ministry of Home Affairs has announced that the Padma awards, which was scheduled to be held on April 3 Rashtrapati Bhavan, has now been postponed. The Ministry said that the new date and time of the ceremony will be announced later.
On Wednesday, World Health Organisation (WHO) declared coronavirus as pandemic. The Delhi government also declared the disease an epidemic. The Centre has declared COVID-19 outbreak in the country a “notified disaster” and also announced to provide compensation and aid to infected people and the families of those who killed by the virus.
This year, 16 Padma Bhushan, seven Padma Vibhushan, and 118 Padma Shri Awards will be handed over. Political leaders Sushma Swaraj, George Fernandes and Arun Jaitley will be conferred Padma Vibhushan awards posthumously in the public affairs category.
