Published 20:55 IST, June 12th 2020
PM Modi to hold two conference meetings with state CMs on June 16 & 17
n a major development, sources have reported on Friday that PM Modi is likely to hold a video conference with all state Chief Ministers amid 'Unlock 1'.
In a major development, sources have reported on Friday that PM Modi will to hold a video conference with all state Chief Ministers amid 'Unlock 1'. The meeting will be held in two parts on June 16 and 17. The Prime Minister is scheduled to hold talks with CMs of 21 states / UTs on 16 June - Punjab, Assam, Kerala, Block, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Tripura, Himachal, Chandigarh, Goa, Manipur, Nagaland, Ladakh, Puducherry, Arunachal, Meghalaya Mizoram, A&N Islands, Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman Diu, Sikkim and Lakshadweep.
PM-CM conference on June 16-17
On the consecutive day he will hold talks with Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Jammu-Kashmir, Telangana and Odisha. These 15 states have higher number of Coronavirus cases and have sizable population. Currently, India is under 'Unlock 1', where the lockdown is only extended in containment zones till June 30. India has 1,41,842 active cases, 1,47,195 cases discharged and 8498 fatalities.
Last PM-CM conference
The Prime Minister had previously held a meeting on May 11 with all state Chief Ministers to discuss an exit strategy for the nation as the deadline for the lockdown approached. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Home Minister Amit Shah, Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, and some more ministers were present in the meeting. After this conference, the Centre had extended the lockdown till May 30, with relaxed restrictions.
Unlock 1
Subsequently, the Centre extended the Coronavirus lockdown in containment zones till June 30, 2020. It also announced that the re-opening of the areas outside containment zones will be done in three phases with the first phase commencing on June 8 - allowing religious places, malls, shops etc to open. The fate of re-opening educational institutions will be decided in the next phase in July, while resuming international air travel, metros, cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, social/political/sports/religious/cultural functions will be decided in the third phase - the date has not been mentioned.
Previous PM-CM conferences
PM Modi has held five conferences with all CMs amid the Coronavirus pandemic. Previous meetings had all been to discuss the nation's strategy to battle COVID-19 and had resulted in nation-wide lockdowns - the last one with considerable relaxations. While all CMs had attended the first one, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has sent a representative for the past two meetings. Most CMs had aired their greivances and have supported the Centre's move to extend lockdown.
Updated 21:42 IST, June 12th 2020