It is up to local officials to decide, taking into consideration the Covid-19 situation in an area, whether physical classes should resume at schools, Maharashtra School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad said on Thursday.

Asked about the confusion about the government's announcement to resume more physical classes at schools from August 17, Gaikwad said the decision-making has been decentralized. The state task force on Covid-19 at a meeting on Wednesday night opposed the decision to reopen more classes at schools. Gaikwad was not present at the meeting.