| PM to address nation at 10 am today, expected to outline lockdown decision | | | agencies
new delhi, Apr 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on the prevailing coronavirus situation in the country on Tuesday, April 14. The Prime Minister is likely to give a final word on the coronavirus lockdown which will enter its final day tomorrow.
The Prime Minister announced the 21-day nationwide coronavirus lockdown on March 25 to break the chain of Covid-19 infections in the country.
In a meeting with chief ministers last week, the Prime Minister was urged by heads of all states to extend the lockdown by at least a fortnight.
Though a final word on the lockdown extension is awaited from the Prime Minister, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had already hinted on the matter in a tweet on Saturday.
"PM has taken correct decision to extend lockdown. Today, India's position is better than many developed countries because we started lockdown early. If it is stopped now, all gains would be lost. To consolidate, it is important to extend it," the Kejriwal's tweet read.
PM has taken correct decision to extend lockdown. Today, India's position is better than many developed countries because we started lockdown early. If it is stopped now, all gains would be lost. To consolidate, it is important to extend it
States like Telangana, Maharahstra, Odisha and West Bengal have already extended the lockdown till April 30. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik-led Odisha government was the first state to extend the lockdown beyond April 14.
Some ministries have suggested reopening of production units and restarting work in the agriculture sector provided all the mandatory guidelines for sanitation and social distancing are followed.
The union home ministry which has been issuing guidelines to be followed by all sectors on Monday reiterated that all offices except those in the defence, central armed police forces, essential services such as power, CNG, postal services etc will remain closed.
Offices that have been kept out of the purview of the lockdown include utilities, sanitation, municipal bodies, police, home guards and civil defence. Hospitals, veterinary hospitals and all related medical establishments including manufacture and distribution units are allowed to remain functional.
During the 3-week lockdown, the government undertook a slew of measures to ensure that citizens do not bear the brunt of the lockdown. Relief packages and disbursement of cash was announced for various sections of the society under many government schemes.
Commercial and private establishments are closed unless these are shops that provide food, groceries fruits and vegetables and dairy products. Banks, ATMs, petrol pumps power generation and transmission services are also allowed to function during the lockdown.
On Monday, the total number of coronavirus tally in the country crossed the 9,000-mark with 9,152 cases. According to the Ministry of Health, India now has 7,987 active COVID-19 cases while as many as 856 patients have recovered or discharged. The coronavirus death toll in the country stands at 308.
In Maharashtra, the total number of coronavirus cases breached the 2,000-mark while the national capital inched towards the 1,500-mark. |
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