Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the ongoing lockdown, in effect since March 25, will be extended beyond May 18, but with an entirely new set of rules. "Lockdown 4.0 will be altogether different. There will be new set of rules, unlike those seen in the previous lockdowns," the Prime Minister said in his televised address to the nation at 8 PM. The PM's speech went on for a little less than 30 minutes.
"The details of the new lockdown will be announced as we near the end of this lockdown," said the PM. The current round of lockdown, which began on May 3, will end on May 17. The first lockdown was announced by the PM on March 24 till April 15, followed by a second one from April 15 through May 3.
The Prime Minister also stressed on the need to achieve self-reliance in industry and production, stating the pandemic had presented India with an opportunity to be more "vocal about local."
The PM also announced a special economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore for all sections of Indian society to tide over the pandemic, which he highlighted already included the relief measures announced by the government till now.
