Emphasising the need to go in for a graded exit from the current state of lockdown, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the Chief Ministers the key to managing the spread of Covid-19 requires keeping an eye on the economy and consolidating the gains made during the past month.
Reminding that the threat from the virus was far from over, he said constant vigil, social distancing and face masks should become a norm. In his fourth interaction with the CMs on management of the spread of the global pandemic, PM Modi underscored the lockdown yielded positive results with the country managing to save thousands of lives and faring better than countries with lesser population.
The effort should be directed towards converting the red zones into orange and thereafter to green zones. At present, some 170 districts in the country are in the red zone, requiring strict containment protocols.
With states like Telangana already prolonging the extended lockdown till May 7 and few others favouring extension with Odisha seeking one more month, the Centre has to work on a road map that balances the need to restart the engines that power the economy while managing to limit the spread of Covid-19.
While a calibrated exit plan was unrolled with the government permitting activities across limited sectors since April 20, the PM also gave a suggestion on a new approach. “We have to be brave and bring in reforms that touch the lives of common citizens,” he said, suggesting that people associated with universities can devise ways to fight the pandemic.
