Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held a meeting via video conferencing with the chief ministers of all states to discuss exit strategy and possible extension of lockdown amid a drastic rise in the number of Coronavirus cases.
The Prime Minister, for the first time, was seen sporting a mask in a meeting and so were some chief ministers, including UP CM Yogi Adityanath and Maharashtra’s Uddhav Thackeray.
Meanwhile, according to reports, as many as five states have requested for the extension of the nationwide lockdown till April 30.
Uddhav Thackeray expressed concerns to PM Modi over suspension of lockdown on 14 April as the number of cases crossed 1,500 infections in Maharashtra alone today and total number of infections in India rose to 7447.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the lockdown in the national capital should continue till 30 April at least to contain the spread of the Coronavirus infection.
He also said that the decision should be taken at the national level as a state-level decision might “not be much effective,” adding that even if the lockdown is eased, “the transportation should not be opened including movement by road, rail or air.”
With more than 180 cases in just 24 hours, the national capital reported the third highest number with 903 active cases and 13 deaths till Saturday.
In the video conferencing, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh also recommended extension of national lockdown by at least a fortnight but called for special concessions for industry and agriculture sectors urgently. He also asked for a faster supply of rapid testing kits and special risk insurance for all government employees who are working at the frontline amid the pandemic.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the meeting, assured the chief ministers that he is open to suggestions.
“I am available 24×7. Any chief minister can speak to me and give suggestions on COVID-19 anytime. We should stand together shoulder-to-shoulder,” PM Modi said.
He said that states and the Centre needs to work together to win the battle against the deadly virus.
“If we follow a common strategy we can defeat coronavirus and the losses that we are incurring due to this crisis,” he added.
The 21-day lockdown, declared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24, was to end on April 14.
The Health Ministry gave a presentation during the video conference. Then one by one the chief ministers spoke with PM Modi.
Meanwhile, the Government has exempted operations of Fishing Industry from lockdown restrictions. Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued the 5th exemption to the operations of Fishing (Marine) and Aquaculture Industry from the Coronavirus lockdown.
PM Modi had on April 8 hinted at an all-party meet that it will not be possible to end the lockdown on April 14 as the number of Coronavirus cases continue to surge in the country.
Chairing the first all-party meet since the lockdown was announced on March 24, PM had said he would consult with Chief Ministers on the matter.
Last Monday, at a cabinet meeting, PM Modi had said that the people must be prepared for a long haul. He had urged the ministers to come up with a ‘graded plan’.
As of Saturday, India’s total number of Coronavirus cases has risen to 7447 with 239 fatalities. The country marked its sharpest rise with 40 deaths and 1035 new cases of infection in the last 24 hours.
However, the Government has maintained that there has been no ‘community transmission’ in the country yet.