COVID-19 lockdown extension: PM Modi to interact with CMs today

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to hold another round of video conference and is expected to take a call on extending the COVID-19  lockdown with all chief ministers on Saturday.

While some states like Punjab and Odisha have already announced an extension of curbs till May 1 and April 30 respectively, the Centre is now considering extending the three-week nationwide lockdown over the Covid-19 outbreak beyond April 14. It will also keep the option of lifting the restrictions in a staggered manner in mind.

Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Karnataka have said that the threat of COVID-19 would be easier to handle if the lockdown, which took effect on March 25, remains in force for a longer duration. Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Puducherry are also among others who have favoured an extension of the lockdown.

Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Modi stressed that the ‘lockdown is the only way to save our people’ as he ruled out lifting the nationwide restrictions in one go.

“I am regularly talking to CMs, districts and experts. Nobody is telling me to lift the lockdown. We need strict rules to maintain social distancing. We have to take many unexpected steps too,” Modi said.

“I will talk again to CMs. But as of now, the mood is that entire lockdown lifting is not possible. We are also talking in district levels. For us, lockdown is the only way to save our people,” Modi added.

The number of COVID-19 cases in India on Friday reached 6761 and 206 have so far died of the disease.