The Coronavirus threat which has affected all the services and activities in several states, has had its effect even on festival celebrations.

The Andhra Pradesh government has cancelled the Ugadi celebrations this year because of the Coronavirus. As a result, it has also postponed the prestigious YSR Lifetime Achievement Awards, which Jagan government has proposed to give to various achievers in the state.

According to an official release, the government has decided to present the YSR Life Time Achievement Awards on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Jagan’s father and former chief minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy on July 8.

The awards are meant to honour people from Andhra Pradesh who have excelled in different fields and rendered meritorious public service.

“In view of threat of Covid-19 virus the Government has postponed this award function which was originally slated to be held on the occassion of Ugadi,” the official release said.

It may be mentioned that the proposal to issue YSR Lifetime Awards was one of the reasons for sacking of former chief secretary L V Subrahmanyam from his post.

Subrahmanyam did not approve of the awards, but it was placed before the cabinet without his approval by Principal Secretary in CMO Praveen Prakash without his knowledge.