- By Talib Khan
- Sat, 11 Apr 2020 01:07 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held a video conference with chief ministers of several states to discuss the extension of nation-wide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus, and several other strategies to fight the highly contagious disease which has afflicted more that 7,000 people in the country.
During the video conference, news agency PTI quoted sources as saying, that Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal asked the central government to extend the lockdown till April 30 in view of the rising cases of COVID-19 pandemic.
They said Kejriwal was of the view that the ongoing 21-day lockdown, which is scheduled to end on April 14, should be extended to the whole of India and not only in Delhi. "Extending the lockdown in Delhi only will not serve any purpose," Kejriwal said as reported by PTI.
"The decision to continue the lockdown should be taken on a national level. If the states decide the length of the lockdown on their own, then the fight against the coronavirus won't be effective," Arvind Kejriwal said.
Kejriwal also asserted that if the government is thinking to ease the lockdown, then all kinds of transports should not be allowed and restrictions should be imposed on movements of rail and road transport. "If the lockdown is eased, all kinds of transport, either rail or road, should not be allowed," Kejriwal added.
Meanwhile, news agency ANI quoted CMO Punjab as saying that, Punjab CM Captain Amrinder Singh recommended the extension of national lockdown by at least 15 days. He also suggested that special concessions for industry & agriculture sectors should be made on urgent basis. He also asked for faster supply of rapid testing kits.
During the video conference, PM Modi took feedback from the chief ministers about the prevailing situation in their respective states and discussed whether the nation-wide lockdown would end on Tuesday. PM Modi also assured them that he is available 24x7 and any of them can give suggestions to him.
"I am available 24x7. Any chief minister can speak to me and give suggestions (on COVID-19) anytime. We should stand together shoulder-to-shoulder," PM Modi said as reported by NDTV.
(With Agencies Inputs)