Mumbai: Heeding the chorus for extending the nationwide lockdown beyond April 14, PM Modi will hold a video conference with the CMs on April 11 to ascertain their views and also review the ground level situation in their respective states.
Already, experts and some CMs have made a strong case for extending the lockdown to avoid further spread of the pandemic.
The April 11 meet comes close on the heels of the Telangana CM K Chandrasekhara Rao’s demand for continuing with the lockdown. ‘‘We need to save lives, later we can save the economy,” Rao, whose state has the fourth highest Covid cases, said on Monday.
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot suggested the lockdown should be withdrawn in a phase. “We cannot withdraw lockdown immediately, it has to be done in a phased manner,” said Gehlot. MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan said his government will extend lockdown if the need arises.
The BJP-led Assam govt announced it would support the Centre for systematic and scientific withdrawal of the nationwide lockdown. Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary RK Tiwari said, “There is still time for the lockdown, we will review the situation and decide on lifting it.’’
Punjab and Haryana favour withdrawal of lockdown in phased manner. In a statement to mark two weeks of lockdown, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said the next one week of the lockdown is “critical” for evolving an exit strategy as the data regarding the corona spread will have a bearing on the decision to be taken by the government.
