Both Centre and state mull staggered return to normalcy
Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with all the states' chief ministers through video-conference on Thursday. PIC/PTI
Citizens would do well to not expect everything to go back to normal on April 15 after the lockdown ends. Both, the Centre and the states are contemplating measures to ensure a staggered re-emergence of the population. This means not all services will be thrown open and a significant chunk of the population might be forced to stay home further.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked all chief ministers (CM) to brainstorm for a common exit strategy and told them about a possible second wave of spread of the virus in some countries.
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Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray suggested that the states seek help from religious leaders to avoid community spread through events such as the one at Nizamuddin Markaz. The PM accepted the suggestion and advised other CMs to follow it. He also warned that the global situation remains far from satisfactory.
Officials managing the crisis said they would ensure steps necessary to prevent community transmission are taken. "There will be some relaxation but in no way can we afford to have a free-for-all situation," an official said.
Modi said that in the next few weeks, tracing, testing, isolation and quarantine should remain in focus. He promised to release grants of R11,000 crore to the affected states.
Thackeray told the PM that the state was providing 3.25 lakh migrants food, shelter and healthcare. "Fresh medical and nursing graduates have been trained to run special sections. Asymptomatic people are being quarantined outside hospitals in clubs, lodges and marriage halls, where the police man the movement of inmates. We will create more isolation and quarantine facilities," Thackeray told Modi who wanted to know more about Maharashtra which has the highest number of cases.
Thackeray said that the number of cases has increased because the state has also increased its testing capacity. He also asked the PM to encourage local manufacturing of medical equipment and production of PPE kits and masks.
Rs 11,000cr
Grant for states from Centre promised by PM Narendra Modi
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