Kolkata, Aug 25 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday expressed hope that the COVID-19 situation will "by and large settle down" by September-end, and said she would resume her administrative review meetings in the districts, as soon as the situation improves.

Banerjee also said that COVID-19 was "slowly turning into a disease similar to the common flu".

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"I am hoping that the COVID-19 situation will by and large settle down by September 20-25, as has been suggested by the experts. We will have to start visiting the districts to hold administrative review meetings," she said during a virtual conference with senior officials.

Underlining that development work should continue everywhere in the state, Banerjee said officials should ensure that pending projects are completed on time.

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"We have to expedite work on all pending projects. If someone (an official) thinks he can sit idle just because elections are scheduled next year and not anytime soon, he or she is wrong. Elections will come and go but the government will continue to function, and similarly you (official) will also be there," she said.

The CM further said that her government has sanctioned 20 lakh houses for the people of the state, and pending work will be completed in phases.

"We have sanctioned 20 lakh houses under a scheme. Those that are yet to be completed will be taken up in phases. We will see that nobody is deprived..." she said.

Banerjee also said that the rate of death due to reasons other than COVID-19 has gone down in Bengal this year.

"People with serious medical condition are easily getting infected by coronavirus. They are dying because of comorbidities," the chief minister said.

Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha, who attended the meeting, said that death rate in the state this June has gone down by 35 per cent when compared to the corresponding period last year.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)