Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a video conference call with chief ministers of states and Union Territories on the issue of extending the lockdown. Courtesy: AAP/Twitter
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said there seems to be a consensus amongst states on extension of by another two weeks, according to a statement by his office released following his interaction with chief ministers of all states/UTs to strategize ahead for tackling COVID-19.
In addition, the chief ministers also sought “financial and fiscal assistance” from the Centre to boost their state’sresources in the fight against the pandemic, the statement added.
With many state governments – prompted by the spike in cases – deciding to extend the restrictions on movement in the state, the difficulties faced by people seems to getting increasing acute, especially of migrant workers, many of whom are stuck in urban slums, away from their natives places, in the wake of a badly planned lockdown.
Madhya Pradesh government on Saturday admits that 47 officials and workers of the state’s health department have been infected by COVID-19, the disease caused by novel coronavirus. The admission by the recently formed BJP – led state government came following the state’s human rights commission served a notice to the state government, seeking details of the staffers who contracted the disease.
A letter forwarded by district collector to the Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission (MPHRC) on Friday claimed that 47 staffers including senior officials of MP Directorate of Health Services have been tested positive and were hospitalised and kept in isolation, reported News18.
According to the report, it was alleged that infected health officers were not hospitalised immediately. MP government, while admitting the number of infected staffers, denied evidence of negligence.
Meanwhile, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Saturday informed that it is yet to receive the delivery of rapid testing kits ordered earlier.
As many as 500,000 rapid testing kits – also known as antibody testing kits – were supposed to be delivered by the suppliers “by April 8 or 9”, Hindustan Times quoted Raman R Gangakhedkar, Chief, Epidemiology and Communicable Disease, ICMR.
In its regular press briefing on Saturday – April 11 – however, Gangakhedkar informed it will take another 2-3 days for the delivery.
According to an ICMR advisory, rapid testing kits (for antibody tests or blood tests) need to be deployed in areas where mass testing is required, such as evacuation camps, large cluster areas, and camps for migrant workers.
As on Saturday morning till 5, health ministry registered 6,634 “active cases” of the total 7,529 confirmed positive cases of the novel coronavirus in the country. As many as 652 among these have been cured.
The toll due to COVID-19, disease caused by the novel coronavirus, has now jumped to 242.
Officials on Saturday confirmed that the West Bengal government is set to impose total lockdowns in 10 COVID-19 hotspots including parts of Kolkata.
This comes a day after nine to ten hotspots were identified by the government.
The names of the hotspots have not been declared yet.
Maharashtra register 92 fresh cases of novel coronavirus in the state, PTI quoting officials reported. With this, the state tally has now increased to 1,666.
After registering 54 fresh cases of novel coronavirus, the state count in Gujarat has now reached 432, officials said.
Of the 432 patients, 379 are active cases. The state has so far reported 19 deaths due to the contagious virus.
In the wake of coronavirus outbreak and the economic downturn caused due to the lockdown, the Union government is considering a change in the Factories Act of 1948 to extend the daily shift in factories across the country, from the current accepted norm of eight hours to twelve hours, according to a report in the Hindustan Times.
According to the report, one of the eleven empowered groups of senior bureaucrats, the one on "facilitating supply chain and logistics management for availability of necessary items such as food and medicine" is pushing for the amendment.
As India battles the COVID-19 crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held a video conference with chief ministers primarily to take their feedback on whether the 21-nation-wide lockdown be extended beyond April 14 to stem the tide of the infections.
The Union Home Ministry has sought views of state governments on various aspects, including whether more categories of people and services need to be exempted.
During his earlier April 2 interaction with chief ministers, Modi had pitched for a “staggered” exit from the ongoing lockdown.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal reportedly suggested that the lockdown must be extended till April 30 during in the video conference, according to sources.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh also suggested for an extension of the national lockdown during the PM's interaction with CMs.
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs on Friday confirms that any contribution to Chief Minister’s Relief Funds or State Relief Fund for COVID-19 “shall not qualify” as admissible Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) expenditure.
In a FAQ document, the ministry, however, said that such contributions made to ‘PM Cares Fund’ shall qualify as CSR expenditure.
In what can be seen as demotivating companies to contribute to state funds, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury called it “blatantly discriminatory” and going “against the constitutional principle of federalism.”
This is blatantly discriminatory and goes against the constitutional principle of federalism. States are at the forefront of this battle to contain the spread of Covid-19 and they are being strangulated by the Centre in this fight. pic.twitter.com/I5cfKDMFUD
— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) April 11, 2020
The All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) condemned the proposal being considered by the Centre to extend day shifts for workers from the current permissible norm of 8 hours to 12 hours. The AICCTU demanded the withdrawal of the proposal immediately.
“This proposal gives ample indications about the intentions of Modi-led BJP government of shifting the burden of COVID-19 generated wide-spread economic crisis on to the shoulders of workers, downtrodden and poor, who have already been suffering from the blows of pre-COVID economic recession in the country in the form of record job losses and cuts in wages and social security,” the trade union confederation said in a statement on Saturday.
Health Department of Odisha on Saturday confirmed two more positive cases of novel coronavirus, taking the total count of COVID-19 cases in the state to 50. Of these, 12 have been recovered so far.
Chief Ministers of Delhi and Punjab suggested extension of nationwide lockdown till April 30 during a meeting PM Narendra Modi had with all state chief ministers on Saturday to discuss situation arising due to COVID-19 pandemic and to take their feedback on whether 21-day shutdown should be extended, PTI reported.
On the other hand, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel urged PM Modi to allow states to carry out economic activities within borders. However, he further for continuing ban on inter-state road, rail, air facilities.
With four days left for the 21-day nationwide lockdown to end, that is on April 14, decision is awaited on whether it will be extended or not in the wake of spike in coronavirus cases.
Officials confirmed 18 fresh cases of novel coronavirus in Rajasthan, taking the state tally to jump to 579, according to PTI.
On the other hand, COVID-19 claimed three more lives in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore. With this, the death toll in the city has now reached 30, according to officials.
The Chief Minister of Puducherry speaking to the media said, most CMs sought extension in lockdown during interaction with PM; Modi agreed, saying continuation of lockdown is must.
Narayanasamy said that the PM feels that farm activity should continue, said guidelines would be issued by Centre on construction industry in graded manner.
Most CMs raised issue of migrant labours during the video conference with the Prime Minister. They told him that poor people were losing livelihood, so they sought steps from Centre to help them, according to Narayansamy.
Chief Minsters also raised the issue of states facing fund crunch, the chief minister said. They urged the PM for a package for all states and moratorium on debts, but PM did not say anything, Narayanasamy said.
The Puducherry Chief Minister added that some CMs told the PM to stop the governors, LGs from interfering in the functioning of state governments.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackarey on Saturday said that 60 to 70 per cent of the nearly 1,000 COVID-19 patients in Mumbai have mild or very mild symptoms.
As on April 10, the state capital registered 993 coronavirus positive cases.
Officials on Saturday confirmed 15 more coronavirus infections in the Uttar Pradesh, taking the total count to 448 in the state.
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