Modi: Phased Unwinding Of The 21-Day Lockdown 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a video conference with Chief Ministers of different states in India over the coronavirus pandemic on Thursday. PM Modi asked for suggestion from Chief Ministers in his video conference, on how to slowly rather than abruptly end this shutdown. This was the second such conference with CMs ever since the shutdown was announced. Chief Ministers will come back with their suggestions in the third such conference with the Prime Ministers, whose date is yet not fixed.

A government statement read: "Prime Minister said that it is important to formulate a common exit strategy to ensure staggered re-emergence of the population once Lockdown ends. He asked the States to brainstorm and send suggestions for the exit strategy." Either way, don't expect to drive your car to the nearest movie theatre or go for a dinner at a pizza joint on April 15.

Modi in his video conference told that it is important to focus on tracing, testing, isolation of corona suspected patients and making them go under self-quarantine so as to prevent the spread of coronavirus. He thanked the states for supporting the decision of lockdown and informed about speculations of a possible second wave of spread of virus in some countries. Modi took to his Twitter and tweeted that he had an extensive interaction with Chief Ministers of various states. Modi told that he is going to share a video message on Friday morning.

The meeting was attended by chief ministers, home ministers, health ministers, chief secretaries, home secretaries and health secretaries of the states, the meeting was also attended by defence minister Rajnath Singh, health minister Harsh Vardhan, principal secretary P.K. Mishra, cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba, home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Indian Council of Medical Research’s director general Balram Bhargava. (Inputs from livemint and IANS)

Also Read: COVID-19 Live Updates: Corona Positive Cases Increase In Two Telugu States