PM Modi Hints At Another Lockdown Extension After May 3: Details of Meeting

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who held a video meeting with state Chief Ministers said that the nationwide coronavirus lockdown may continue in the parts of the country which are worst affected. PM Modi also lauded the efforts made by each states to contain the novel coronavirus pandemic.

During the meeting, five of nine Chief Ministers asked for the lockdown to end, while the others demanded it to extend due to the rise in positive cases and death. “We saw a two-stage lockdown, with strict measures in the first phase and then some relaxations in the second. Good work has been done in the states. Efforts of states should now be directed towards converting the red zones into orange and thereafter to green zones. We have to be brave and bring in reforms that touch the lives of common citizens," PM Modi told the CMs. 

As per the Union Health Ministry, India recorded 1,396 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, which had taken to total to 27,982 with 872 deaths so far. 

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court heard a petition asking to direct the centre and states to allow migrant workers to return home if they test negative for the deadly COVID-19 virus. 

The chief ministers who attended the meeting today included Arvind Kejriwal from Delhi, Uddhav Thackeray from Maharashtra, E K Palaniswami from Tamil Nadu, Conard Sangma from Meghalaya, Trivendram Singh Rawat from Uttarakhand and Yogi Adityanath from Uttar Pradesh.

Even, Home Minister Amit Shah, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and other top officials from the PMO and Union Health Ministry were also present at the meet.