<span style="color: #222222;">The Textiles Ministry has assured farmers in Maharashtra that the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) is fully prepared to purchase cotton at minimum support price in the state during the ongoing lockdown. The MSP operations are continuing and Cotton Corporation of India's (CCI) procurement is currently on at 34 centres in the state. The Ministry's move comes amid concerns that traders may not offer a better price in view of the pandemic situation forcing farmers to avail the MSP rates.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">AIR correspondent reports that the Textile Ministry has said the procurement is regulated by state's Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) and 27 centres are coming under Red Zones wherein procurement is expected to pick up this week.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">In the remaining 22 centres, the State Government has been approached by the CCI for issue of passes/tokens to farmers to bring cotton and the matter is being constantly monitored by the Ministry of Textiles through daily status reports on arrival of farmers and procurements at the APMCs.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Around 77.40 per cent of total cotton produced in sate has already arrived in the markets so far and sold till March 25.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">After the government granted permission to open liquor shops yesterday, people were seen forming long queues outside wine shops flouting all social distancing norms.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Consequently, the District Collector of Latur ordered closure of all liquor shops in district till further orders, to prevent spread of Corona virus and action would be taken against liquor shop owners and citizens disobeying orders.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Meanwhile in a positive story, Dr. Rajendra Chandorkar from Alibagh, a beach town near Mumbai, himself drove an ambulance one and half kilometres away and ferried the baby to be admitted to the ICU of the hospital, thus saving his life. His gesture in the time of lockdown is being widely appreciated.</span><br />