PM Modi To CMs: Lockdown To Continue But With Relaxations Outside Hotspots

12 May, 2020 14:38 IST|Sakshi
Prime Minister Modi virtual meeting with CMs of states/UTs

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi On Monday spoke with the chief ministers of all states/UTs to discuss the strategies to contain the spread of coronavirus and stepping up of economic activities in a planned manner as the 54-days of lockdown is going to end.

The nationwide lockdown has been in force since March 25. The number of coronavirus positive cases in the country crossed the 67,000 mark to date. This was the fifth time for PM Modi to conduct a virtual meeting with the chief ministers since the outbreak. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and Health Mister Harsh Vardhan and others participated in the meeting.

Modi said that the country has to plan a balanced strategy to deal with COVID-19 and maximum care should be taken to ensure that the infection doesn't spread to villages. He appreciated the efforts put by the states in the fight against coronavirus pandemic. He opined that the entire world is looking at India and are in the view that the country was able to successfully protect itself from the deadly coronavirus.

Modi told the chief ministers that the number of cases increased in the states as wherever they were not followed social distancing norms or there has been no strict implementation of lockdown guidelines. The main focus should be laid on how to improve the economic activities in the country and how to convert the red zones where there are more number of COVID-19 into orange and green zones.

Unlike the other four meetings, in this virtual meeting all the chief ministers have had time to express their views. It was also discussed that the return of migrant workers to their home towns will also help in restarting the economy. PM Modi asked the chief ministers that they can send more suggestions to the center by May 15 on how to start the economic activities and how to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Soren requested a 50 percent increase in the existing MNREGA labour wages for the next year. The chief ministers of Punjab, Kerala, West Bengal, Chattisgarh and Odhisha said that freedom should be given to the state governments to make changes related to lockdown guidelines as each state has different challenges.

He also said that the movement of migrant workers to their home states should be expedited within the next 10 days and those states may see a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases. All the chief ministers said that the financial package should be announced to the states and GST compensation due to states be paid.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee asserted that the state has done better in combat against coronavirus and pointed out that what is the need to politicise this situation. The chief ministers of Bihar, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh requested for the extension of the lockdown and urged not to resume train services for now.

Also Read: Birthday Party Is Super-spreader As 45 Infected With COVID-19 In LB Nagar

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