Barring containment zones, economic activities should resume in Delhi: Kejriwal at PM-CMs meet

New Delhi, May 11: Barring containment zones, economic activities should be allowed to resume in the national capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said during a video conference chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with CMs of different states on Monday.

The fresh round of consultation was held on ways to strengthen the COVID-19 containment strategy and stepping up of economic activities in a calibrated manner as the 54-day nationwide lockdown nears an end.

"During the interaction, the chief minister said economic activities should be allowed to resume in Delhi, except in COVID-19 containment zones," a source told PTI.

The government has already demanded from the Centre that all 11 districts of Delhi be not treated as 'red zones' so that more economic activities are allowed in the national capital, sources said.

They said that the government wants that in Delhi 'red zones' be identified as per municipal wards instead of districts. Recently, the Union Health Ministry classified the entire national capital, which has 11 districts, as red zone.

The city has 272 wards. During the video conference PM Modi told chief ministers that India will have to devise and implement a "balanced strategy" to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, and the biggest challenge for the country will be to ensure that the infection does not spread to villages.

Appreciating the role played by the states in the fight against the pandemic, Modi said the entire world is of the view that India has been able to successfully protect itself from the pandemic, according to official sources.