Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 11, 2020, interacted with the Chief Ministers of all the States and UTs in the country to discuss the road ahead in India’s fight against COVID-19. In his opening remarks, the Prime Minister said, “We now have reasonably clear indication as to the geographical spread of the pandemic in India, including the worst affected areas. Moreover, over the past few weeks, officials have understood operating procedures in a time such as this, right up to the District level.”
He said that this understanding of the spread of COVID-19 will help the country in having a focussed fight against it. “And therefore, we can now further focus our strategy in this battle against coronavirus, as should be the case. We have a twofold challenge – to reduce the transmission rate of the disease, and to increase public activity gradually, while adhering to all the guidelines, and we will have to work towards achieving both these objectives,” he said. The PM further said now the effort should be to stop the spread of the COVID-19 to rural areas. The Prime Minister said the suggestions made by the States for a roadmap on Economy have been given due consideration.
The Chief Ministers appreciated the leadership of the Prime Minister in the country’s fight against COVID-19 and also highlighted the need to strengthen the medical and health infrastructure in the country. Several of them pointed out that with the return of migrants, there is a need to concentrate on strict implementation of the social distancing guidelines, usage of masks and sanitisation to curb the spread through fresh infection, especially in rural areas. The compulsory quarantining of the stranded Indians returning from abroad was also highlighted.
The Chief Ministers, in their suggestions on economy, have sought support to MSMEs, Infrastructure projects like Power, easing of interest rates on loans and assured market access to the agricultural produce.
The Prime Minister said that we must understand that the World has fundamentally changed post COVID-19. Now the World will be Pre-Corona, Post-Corona just like the case of the World Wars. And this would entail significant changes in how we function. He said the new way of life would be on the principle of “Jan Se lekar Jag Tak”, from an individual to the whole of humanity.
“Even as we look at the gradual withdrawal of the lockdown, we should constantly remember that till we find a vaccine or a solution, the biggest weapon with us to the fight the virus is social distancing,” PM Modi said. He reaffirmed the importance of ‘Do Gaz Ki doori’ and added that suggestion of night curfew raised by many CMs would surely reaffirm the feeling of caution among people.
“I request you all to share with me by May 15, a broad strategy on how you each one of you would want to deal with the lockdown regime in your particular states. I want states to make a blueprint on how to deal with various nuances during and after the gradual easing of the lockdown,” he said.
The PM asked the policy makers to also keep in mind how to embrace new models of teaching and learning in the education sector. Referring to Tourism, the Prime Minister said he saw potential for domestic tourism but we need to think of the contours of the same. He said, “I am of the firm view that the measures needed in the first phase of lockdown were not needed during the 2nd phase and similarly the measures needed in the 3rd Phase are not needed in the fourth.”
Referring to the resumption of train Services, the Prime Minister said, this is needed to rev up the economic activity, but said that all the routes will not be resumed. The PM said only a limited number of trains would ply. The Prime Minister said he continues to feel optimistic, when not even a single state sounded despondent and that this collective determination will make India win in its fight against COVID-19. He said that the Post-COVID era also brings opportunities that India must leverage, according to a PIB release.