Covid-19 lockdown, extended till May 3, will become more strict for next one week, says PM Modi

HT, 14 April 2020, New DelhiPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that a news set of guidelines will be issued tomorrow, as he announced the extension of lockdown till May 3.

“While making new guidelines, we have kept in mind the interests of the poor and daily wage workers. Harvesting of Rabi crops is also underway. Central government and state governments are working together to ensure that farmers face minimal problems,” the Prime Minister said in his third address to the nation.

“The daily wage labourers are my extended family. It is my priority to reduce the difficulties faced by these people. The government has tried to help them in every possible way through Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojana,” the PM said.

Announcing the extension of lockdown, PM Modi said, “From the economic angle, we have paid a big price. But the lives of the people of India are far more valuable.”

A day ahead of the address, Modi held in-depth talks with the principal scientific adviser Prof K Vijay Raghavan apart from holding his regular meetings with principal secretary PK Mishra and cabinet secretary RK Gauba. The talks with Vijay Raghavan focussed on how the Aarogya app is contributing to tracking the spread of Covid-19, HT has learnt.

A majority of India’s states have backed an extension of the lockdown so as not to fritter away the benefits that may have accrued from the strict social distancing norms put in place to keep the highly infectious virus at bay, but some sought an easing of the lockdown in areas outside the so-called red zones that include Covid-19 hotspots and containment zones.

At least seven states - Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, West Bengal, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana - have already announced an extension of the lockdown until April 30.

India’s total number of Covid-19 positive cases climbed to 10,363 on Tuesday, including 8,988 active cases, 1,035 cured/discharged/migrated and 339 deaths, the Union health ministry said.