The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has directed states to continue lockdown measures till May 31, the fourth extension of the nationwide lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the infectious Covid-19 disease. The guidelines for this phase of lockdown will be announced later this evening.
The Centre will issue the new guidelines for the fourth phase of the lockdown with considerable relaxations being in the offing for those states and cities which have lesser number of Covid-19 positive cases.
Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Punjab had already extended the lockdown before the Prime Minister Modi-led National Disaster Management Authority issued the order for lockdown 4.0 on Sunday evening.
The guidelines will be issued later in the evening after Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba completes briefing state governments on the guidelines first. Several state governments had complained in the past that the Centre’s guidelines had taken them by surprise and weren’t clear enough. Gauba’s meeting would reduce the possibility of such misinterpretation. It is also an occasion for the Centre to stress on encouraging resumption of economic activity “while containing the spread of Covid-19”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi,in his televised address earlier this week, had said the fourth phase of the lockdown will be very different in nature and will have “new rules”.
“The fourth phase of lockdown…lockdown 4.0 will be completely redesigned, with new rules. Based on the suggestions we are getting from the states, information related to Lockdown 4 will also be given to you before May 18,” PM Modi had said during his address to the nation on May 12.
The third phase of the lockdown will end tonight. Lockdown 3.0 saw significant relaxations with standalone shops lifting shutters, liquor shops opening up in orange and green zones and at least 15 special passenger trains resuming service for the first time since the Indian Railways suspended commercial operations on March 25.
