PM Modi’s dual strategy to revive economy, contain virus: Significance of the April 20 date

New Delhi, Apr 20: A calibrated review of the economy will take place after the April 20 review that Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced today while extending the lockdown to May 3.

PM Modi said in his address that there would be a review on April 20 and until then the lockdown would be enforced in a strict manner. This is a strategy to both contain the spread of the virus and also ensure that the economy is revived.

Another key factor that the government took into consideration is the comeback that the virus was making in China. This has been a worrisome development and India is not taking any chances.

The April 20 date would be a crucial one, officials tell OneIndia. During this 7 day period, testing would be ramped up and steps would be taken to ensure as many green zones as possible. The health infrastructure would also be ramped up considerably during this period, the official cited above said.

The government says that it would take different to a different level. To ensure this the testing committee under C K Mishra, environment secretary has been ramped up with two additional secretary rank officials from the PMO. India is expecting the rapid testing kits to land by April 15. These kits are crucial in the fight against coronavirus. They would be used extensively in red zones and containment zones. These kits would give out results in around 30 minutes.

India has already placed orders for 50,000 testing kits and last week a fresh tender had been raised for 4.5 million more rapid testing kits, the deliveries of which would start from May 1 onwards.

PM Modi said today that the next seven days would be very crucial. He said that the lockdown norms would be enforced strictly for the next one week and could be relaxed for those areas which do not have a single case from April 20.

PM Modi said that the government will track the enforcement of the lockdown meticulously and the spread of the disease right down to the police station level. He said that the next one week would be a trial by fire.

The PM said that those localities that pass the test and do not allow the disease to spread can have permission for some essential activities. He, however, said that this permission was conditional. If the lockdown rules are violated and the coronavirus spreads, then all permissions will be cancelled, he also said. So do not be negligent and ensure that others too follow the rules, he said.

The PM made it clear that the relaxation was being considered so that the poor could earn their daily livelihood.