Punjab CM Amarinder Singh pitches for lockdown extension with 'carefully crafted strategy'
Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh during video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi today pitched for extension of the lockdown but with a carefully crafted strategy, backed by fiscal and economic empowerment of the states, to save lives and secure livelihood.
The Chief Minister said that states need to be given greater flexibility in micro-planning as part of a carefully planned exit strategy, encompassing both COVID-19 containment and a defined path of economic revival.
Meanwhile, the total number of COVID-19 cases reached 1877 in Punjab, with 54 more people testing positive today. Number of active cases and fatalities due to the infection stands at 1678 & 31, respectively.
PM Modi today held a video-conference meeting with all the chief ministers to discuss the road ahead for lockdown exit strategy. His meeting was held in two phases. The first phase took place between 3 pm to 5.30 pm while the second phase began after a 30 minute gap from 6 pm to 8 pm.
The focus of the meeting was on increasing economic activities and tackling the pandemic in containment zones as the lockdown 3.0 is to end on May 17.
The pan-India 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.
