Highlights of PM Narendra Modi’s address to the nation: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced the extension of the nationwide lockdown till 3rd of May. Announcing the decision in his third televised address since last month, PM Modi said that the decision to extend the lockdown was taken after positive feedback from most of the states and people of the country. PM Modi also said that the government will ramp up lockdown restrictions for the coming week for detailed analysis of each and every part of the country. Here are key points of PM Modi’s address:
– Giving an incentive to maintain heightened social distancing, PM Modi said that after detailed analysis, lockdown restrictions will be slowly eased out in areas which do not report any new cases by April 20.
– He also said detailed guidelines will be issued by the government on Wednesday which will include stepped-up measures in the coming week
– Highlighting the positive effect of nationwide lockdown, PM Modi said that the country would have witnessed unimaginable hardships if nationwide lockdown had not been imposed.
– PM Modi also thanked the people of the country for complying with the lockdown guidelines at the cost of personal hardships. Terming the people of the country witness to the collective efforts of the government to curb the spread of the virus, PM Modi said that the collective efforts had limited the spread of the virus.
– Disclaiming direct comparison with any country, PM Modi said that India has been successful in limiting the damage and is in a better position than many other countries of the world which were at the same level before the lockdown.
– Assuring the country of enough supplies of ration and medicines, PM Modi said that despite limited resources the government has been able to ramp up the healthcare system with 1 lakh beds ready for any eventuality. He also informed that more than 600 hospitals across the country are solely functioning as Covid-19 hospitals.
– Stressing the government strategy of nipping the crisis in the bud, PM Modi said that India did not let Covid-19 take an increasing shape.The Prime Minister also said that the central government as well as state governments have handled the evolving situation in a coordinated and holistic manner. Acknowledging the heavy economic cost the country has paid due to the nationwide lockdown, PM Modi said that the economic loss is nothing in comparison to saving precious lives of the people of the country.
