'Jaan Bhi, Jahan Bhi' in Focus as PM Modi Set to Address Nation on Extending Covid-19 Lockdown at 10am Today

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 10am on Tuesday, the last day of the nationwide coronavirus lockdown, amid indications that the shutdown could be extended till April-end with certain relaxations to boost economic activities.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 10am on 14th April 2020," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted.

With most states favouring the lockdown to be extended at least by two weeks beyond April 14, the government is broadly focusing on a two-pronged action plan -- containing the spread of Covid-19 in the country and staggered resumption of economic activities.

An indication that while the lockdown maybe extended to ensure social distancing, some relaxations would be made to push economic activities also came from the prime minister, who during a meeting with chief ministers on Saturday via video conferencing, said it was important to save lives as well as livelihoods.

"While announcing the lockdown, I had said 'jaan hai to jahan hai' (health is wealth)... Most people in the country understood it and discharged their responsibilities by remaining indoors. And now it is imperative to focus on both aspects, 'Jaan bhi, jahan bhi' ((lives as well as livelihoods), for India's bright future, and prosperous and healthy India," Modi had said.

At least seven states -- Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, West Bengal, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana -- have already announced extension of the lockdown till April 30.

According to the Union Health Ministry's latest update, the Covid-19 death toll has risen to 308 and the number of confirmed cases climbed to 9,152 in the country, which is under the nationwide lockdown since March 25.

Meanwhile, several union ministers resumed work from their respective offices from Monday as part of government's plan to revive economic activities.

The government in an order last week had also asked all officers of the joint secretary level and above to be present in the ministries along with one-third of the essential staff from Monday.

According to sources, the government is also looking into various recommendations and suggestions made by states, experts and other stakeholders.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has recommended that certain identified industries and services should be allowed to resume limited activity with "reasonable safeguards".

In a number of recommendations to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the department said these new activities in wide-ranging spheres are essential in any lockdown exit plan to improve the country's economic activity and provide liquidity in the hands of the people.

Earlier, there were indications that the Prime Minister's Office is contemplating a graded lifting of lockdown measures, and marking the country into red, orange and green zones, depending on the severity of the coronavirus spread.

There is speculation that the areas under orange and green zones may get some exemptions. Moreover, the government is considering giving more reprieve to the agricultural sector, in face of an extension of the current shutdown.

The opposition Congress has, meanwhile, urged Modi to “be bold” in declaring a financial package of at least 5 to 6 per cent of India's GDP to ensure economic recovery post the COVID-19 lockdown.

The party also demanded that the central government pay all pending dues to states to enable them to fight the coronavirus outbreak, besides also giving each of them special economic packages.

Senior Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said the government must also allow CSR and industry contributions to the CM Relief Funds in various states on the same lines as that granted to PM Cares Fund, as not doing so would amount to being unfair and discriminatory towards states.

"These are extraordinary times and require extraordinary actions. That is why the Prime Minister should be bold and declare an economic package to help revive various sectors of the economy post lockdown," Sharma said addressing a press conference via video.

"We expect that the economic package should be at least 5 to 6 per cent of India's GDP," he said, adding that many countries like UK, France and Germany have declared economic packages that are 15 per cent of their GDP. He said the USA has an declared an economic package of 10 per cent of its GDP.