Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with all Chief Ministers on Monday to discuss the next stage in the exit from the nationwide lockdown enforced to contain novel coronavirus outbreak and various issues comprising the economy.
The is Prime Minister's fifth virtual meeting with the CMs since the lockdown began.
Modi said the biggest challenge would be to ensure that the disease does not spread to villages across the country after relaxations provided by the government.
It was essential to make best efforts to ensure that people stay where they were during the lockdown, the prime minister said. However, in times like these people wish to go home and therefore, a change in decision had to be made, he added.
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The PM told the CMs that they need to devise and implement a balanced strategy regarding the road ahead and challenges that the country faces.
"Entire world feels India has been able to successfully protect itself from COVID-19, states played major role in this," PM Modi told the CMs.
PM Modi said that wherever social distancing was not followed, our problems increased there.
"Slowly but surely, economic activities have begun to pick up in several parts of the country. In coming days, this process will further gather steam. We must realize that fight against COVID-19 has to be more focused now," Modi said.
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"There is global recognition for India’s success in handling the COVID-19 pandemic and the government appreciates the efforts made by all state governments in this regard. Let us stay the course as we move forward together," PM Modi said during the video conference.
He said there was "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," PM Modi said.
Large-scale movement of migrant workers from urban to rural India and the problems their return to home states may cause in restarting the economy was among the focus areas during the fifth virtual interaction between the prime minister and chief ministers since the outbreak of the deadly virus in the country.
The prime minister interacted with the chief ministers last on April 27. Days after the meeting, the central government had extended the lockdown by two more weeks till May 17 to arrest the spread of the virus, but gave several relaxations in economic activities and movement of people.
The lockdown, enforced on March 25, was originally supposed to end on April 14. It was then extended to May 3, and then again to May 17.
(With agency inputs)
