Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked Chief Ministers to share with him, a broad strategy by the 15th of his month as to how they would want to deal with the lockdown regime in their states. He asked them to make a blue print on how to deal with various nuances during and after the gradual easing of the lockdown. Mr Modi said, the measures needed in the first phase of lockdown were not needed during the 2nd phase and similarly the measures needed in the 3rd Phase are not needed in the fourth. Interacting with the Chief Ministers of all the States and Union Territories to discuss the road ahead in India’s fight against COVID-19, Mr Modi, said, we now have reasonably clear indication about the geographical spread of the pandemic in India, including the worst affected areas. Over the past few weeks, officials have understood operating procedures right up to the District level.

Prime Minister said that this understanding of the spread of COVID-19 will help the country in having a focused fight against it. Prime Minister said, now the effort should be to stop the spread of the COVID-19 to rural areas.

Mr Modi said, strategy in the battle against coronavirus should be focused on case to case basis. He said, there is a two fold challenge - to reduce the transmission rate and to increase public activity gradually, while adhering to all the guidelines.

Mr Modi said the suggestions made by the States for a road map on Economy have been given due consideration. The Chief Ministers appreciated the leadership of the Prime Minister in the country’s fight against COVID-19 and also highlighted the need to strengthen the medical and health infrastructure in the country. Several chief ministers pointed out that with the return of migrants, there is a need to concentrate on strict implementation of the social distancing guidelines, usage of masks and sanitization to curb the spread through fresh infection, especially in rural areas. The compulsory quarantining of the stranded Indians returning from abroad was also highlighted. The Chief Ministers sought support to MSMEs, Infrastructure projects like Power, easing of interest rates on loans and assured market access to the agricultural produce. Prime Minister Modi thanked the Chief Ministers for their proactive role in the country’s fight against the COVID-19 and for their valuable suggestions based on their grassroot level experience. Mr Modi said, the World has fundamentally changed post COVID-19 and this would entail significant changes in how we function. He said the new way of life would be on the principle of “Jan Se lekar Jag Tak”, or from an individual to the whole of humanity. Mr Modi said, we must all plan for the new reality. He said, even as we look at the gradual withdrawal of the lockdown, we should constantly remember that till we find a vaccine or a solution, the biggest weapon with us to the fight the virus is social distancing. The Prime Minister said he continues to feel optimistic, when not even a single state sounded despondent and that this collective determination will make India win in its fight against COVID-19.

Mr Modi said, the Post-COVID era also brings opportunities that India must leverage. Prime Minister reaffirmed the importance of Do Gaz Ki doori and added that suggestion of night curfew raised by many Chief Ministers will surely reaffirm the feeling of caution among people.

Mr Modi said, with the onset of Monsoon, there will be proliferation of many non-COVID-19 diseases, for which we must prepare and strengthen our medical and health systems. Referring to the resumption of train Services, the Prime Minister said, this is needed to rev up the economic activity, but said that all the routes will not be resumed. Mr Modi said only a limited number of trains would ply. He asked the policy makers to also keep in mind how to embrace new models of teaching and learning in the education sector.