Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who addressed the nation this evening, said lockdown 4.0 will have a new form and new rules, however, he stopped short of spelling out the details.
The PM added that states will be sending their suggestions on lockdown and citizens will then be duly informed about the changes in rules before May 17. Lockdown 3.0 officially ends this Sunday.
Throughout his address, PM Modi underlined “atmanirbharta (self-reliance)” to tide over the difficulty posed by the coronavirus crisis. He said “we will have to save ourselves and move forward”.
The PM said economy, infrastructure, system, demography, demand are the five pillars that will propel a self-reliant India amid the Covid-19 crisis.
Modi also announced a Rs 20 lakh crore economic package to empower various sections of the society.
On Monday, during consultations with chief ministers, PM Modi said that states will have greater say in determining the extent of restrictions and relaxations after May 17.
The PM asked the CMs to sit with their teams and decide which areas they wanted to keep under a lockdown by May 15. The PM added that the Centre would then chart out a course after May 17.
“Needs are changing in all phases, and so gradual changes are going to happen. We will incorporate the changes that you suggest,” the PM told the CMs, according to a participant at the meeting yesterday.
He also emphasised that social distancing remains the “biggest weapon” against the virus till a vaccine is found, and suggested that the lockdown may not be lifted entirely.
