Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
New Delhi
As India enters final week of the lockdown, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday conveyed to chief ministers that the country will have to give importance to the economy as well as to continue the fight against coronavirus.
In a video conference with the chief ministers, fourth such interaction since March 22 when he first spoke to them on the pandemic, Modi also highlighted the importance for states to enforce prescribed guidelines strictly in the coronavirus hotspots zones, the government said in a statement.
The prime minister underlined that the lockdown has “yielded positive results as the country has managed to save thousands of lives in the past one and a half months”, it said.
“The Prime Minister said that the country has seen two Lockdowns till now, both different in certain aspects, and now we have to think of the way ahead. He said that as per experts, the impact of coronavirus will remain visible in the coming months,” the statement added.
Modi also said that masks and face covers will become part of lives of people in the days ahead, adding everyone’s aim must be to ensure rapid response under the current circumstances.
Among those present at the virtual meet, included Home Minister Amit Shah, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and top officials from the PMO and the Union Health Ministry.
The chief ministers who attended the meeting included Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi), Uddhav Thackeray (Maharashtra), E K Palaniswami (Tamil Nadu), Conrad Sangma (Meghalaya) Trivendra Singh Rawat (Uttarakhand) and Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh).
Not possible to bring back students: Nitish
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar told Prime Minister Narendra Modi the state was scrupulously adhering to the central guidelines on lockdown, and it would not be possible to bring back students from places like Kota until the directions are suitably amended.
“Our students are not just in Kota but also many other parts of the country… it would not be possible to bring them back until the Centre amends its guidelines, which we are adhering to suitably,” he said.
Tourism has taken a hit, says Uttarakhand CM
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said the nationwide lockdown has dealt a blow to tourism in the state, but expressed hope that things will get back on track under Narendra Modi’s leadership.
“Uttarakhand has been a centre of tourism, especially religious tourism, which has suffered due to the lockdown, but we are confident that under the leadership of the Prime Minister, the situation will improve again,” Rawat said after participating in the Prime Minister’s video-conference with Chief Ministers.
State fully prepared to deal with any situation: Khattar
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the state was fully prepared to deal with any situation arising due to the coronavirus crisis.
“Efforts are being made to revive economic activities in the state in a safe manner,” said Khattar.
Khattar also urged the Centre to take quick steps to remove the prevailing uncertainty around the dates of competitive examinations, like the Combined Defence Services, the JEE and the NEET.
Most CMs want lockdown to continue
Meanwhile, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy said a majority of Chief Ministers who interacted with the Prime Minister on Monday wanted the lockdown to continue after May 3.
The Chief Ministers were unanimous in telling the Prime Minister that the way the virus was spreading, there needs to be a cautious approach in lifting the lockdown, revealed Narayanasamy.The Chief Ministers also said that the government should evolve a policy for sending home migrant workers stranded in different states. “But, the Prime Minister did not give any solution to resolve the migrants issue,” said Narayanasamy.
Goa borders to remain sealed, says Pramod Sawant
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said his government was of the opinion that the lockdown in the coastal state should be extended beyond May 3.
After the meeting with Prime Minister in the morning, Sawant told reporters that Goa borders would remain sealed, while the economic activities in the state would resume gradually.
He said the Goa government would write to the Prime Minister, urging him to extend the lockdown beyond May 3.
Rupani favours gradual lifting
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani favoured a gradual lifting of the lockdown.
Rupani maintained that interests of daily-wage labourers, small as well as big shop owners and self-earning people should be kept in mind if the lockdown was to be extended beyond May 3.
Lockdown needs to be gradually lifted. The state will follow the Centres guidelines and lift the lockdown in a gradual and step by step manner, depending on the number of cases going down (in different areas), secretary in the Chief Ministers Office, Ashwani Kumar, quoted Rupani as telling the meeting.
Conrad Sangma pushes for Rapid Response System
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma is in favour of extending the lockdown.
The Chief Minister, however, said some relaxations would be introduced in green zones and non COVID-19 affected districts.
“At the video conference called by Honble PM @narendramodi ji and Honble Home Minister @AmitShah ji. We have mooted to continue with the lockdown in #Meghalaya. #CovidUpdates,” Sangma tweeted after the video conference.
Sangma also suggested that the Meghalaya model of ‘Rapid Response System’ be adopted elsewhere too. He said, “The rapid response system will enable the government to work at the micro-level, like the panchayat institutions, and prepare us for any such situation that may arise in the future.”
Under the Rapid Response System the health department, general administration and police respond in unison within a specified time for detection of the new COVID-19 cases.
Resume economic activities in green zones: Jai Ram Thakur
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur also said lockdown should continue beyond May 3. He, however, said states should be allowed to resume economic activities particularly in the green zones.
Supporting the lockdown extension, Thakur said the restrictions on movement of people should continue as COVID-19 cases were still emerging. “The lockdown should be extended after May 3 to check the spread of novel coronavirus,” said Thakur.
