Lockdown extension: PM's meeting with parties hold answer

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with Parliamentary floor leaders of different parties to discuss about many possibilities of extending the ongoing lockdown to flatten the curve of COVID-19 in the country.

New Delhi:In what may hold many answers to possibility of an extension of the ongoing nationwide lockdown, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is held a meeting with Parliamentary floor leaders of different parties this Wednesday morning. However, there is unlikely to be any immediate announcement, before April 11, say sources.

The meeting started at 11 a.m. through video conferencing, to decide the future course of action as far as coronavirus outbreak in India is concerned, among other key issues.

The primary point on the agenda remained whether to end the lockdown or extend it and if the government wishes to withdraw it, what should be the approach. The current shutdown is slated to end on April 14.

Another point of discussion was the economic impact of the shutdown and how to deal with it. Money released to states, future of daily wage workers who are the worst hit due to total shutdown and scope if any possible economic package was also on the table to discuss in the meeting, said sources.

Explaining the current food supply chain, and availability of essentials remains one of the top agenda in view of extension of the shutdown. Government sources indicated on Tuesday that the government is 'considering requests' by various chief ministers against ending the current shutdown on April 14.

The Prime Minister held the meeting through video conference from his official residence of 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah are present with him.

The situation in the country is akin to a "social emergency" and it has necessitated tough decisions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told political leaders as he asserted that the priority of his government is to "save each and every life".

"The situation in the country is akin to a social emergency...it has necessitated tough decisions and we must continue to remain vigilant," Modi told the leaders, according to an official statement.

States, district administrations and experts have suggested extension of the ongoing lockdown beyond April 14 to contain the spread of the virus, the prime minister said.

Leaders provided feedback, suggested policy measures, discussed the 21-day lockdown and the way forward, according to the statement.

The death toll due to the novel coronavirus rose to 149 and the number of cases climbed to 5,194 in the country on Wednesday, according to the Union Health Ministry.

With inputs from agencies.