Lockdown 3.0: PM Modi to meet chief ministers on Monday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with chief ministers of various states via video conference at 3 pm on Monday (May 11), the Prime Minister’s Office said.

This will be the fifth meeting of the prime minister with the chief ministers since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

Reports say the discussion is likely to centre around the easing of the lockdown which ends on May 17.

Related news: Over 1 lakh cases of lockdown violations registered in Maharashtra

The Centre may also discuss the issue of migrant labourers, many of whom have stated walking to their native places after their host states failed to provide them transportation.

The Centre earlier had clarified that the lockdown would be lifted in a graded manner and will continue in containment zones. Several states had eased lockdown, opening liquor shops, factories, farming activities and MGNREGA work after May 3, the day the second phase of lockdown ended.

Earlier on Sunday Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba held a video conference with chief secretaries and health secretaries of all states and Union territories.

Gauba urged state governments to cooperate with the railways in running more Shramik Special trains. An NDTV report said many states objected to the categorisation of red, orange and green zones, stating that with many of the returning migrants testing positive for COVID-19, several districts will now turn into red zones.

They said instead of the current colour coding, areas with quarantine centres be notified as red zones.

(With inputs from agencies)