PM Set to Announce Covid-19 Lockdown Extension Today

Deepshikha Sikarwar, Kirtika Suneja & Aman Sharma

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to announce an extension of the Covid-19 lockdown in his morning address to the nation while a relaxation of curbs is likely to start rolling out from the rural heartland, said people with knowledge of the matter.

Farming will be central to this process of easing — rabi harvesting and procurement operations along with allied industry segments will be allowed to operate with adequate safeguards, said the people cited above. The rabi season contributes nearly 50% to foodgrain production.

“Harvesting and procurement has to start... that is priority,” said one of them. “Other activities and sectors that support these would also have to be opened up with safety precautions.” For example, procurement may require construction and that may require cement, which may also have to be opened up.

Although the health and home ministries favour total containment, other ministries have backed a selective opening up in view of the broader consequences of a stalled economy.

The Centre is compiling inputs from ministries and states on graded relaxations in the second phase of the lockdown starting April 15.

The home ministry will be issuing revised guidelines to all states under the Disaster Management Act, 2005. The current three-week lockdown is due to end April 14.