Prime Minister Narendra Modi is conducting his second round of meeting with the chief ministers on Saturday, April 11, via video-conferencing. The PM appeared for the conference wearing a homemade mask. The Prime Minister was joined by most of the chief ministers who also appeared wearing a mask.
The meeting will be discussing exit strategy and a possible extension of lockdown which is set to end on April 14. The video conference, which began at 11 am, has sought views of state governments on various aspects, including whether more categories of people and services need to be exempted as only essential services are exempted in the current lockdown.
Maharashtra CM wears mask
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was seen wearing a mask in the meeting today. State leaders have pushed for lockdown extension in Maharashtra as the number of total coronavirus cases crossed over 1,500 in the state.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued a stern advisory earlier this month, asking everyone to wear a mask while stepping out of their homes.
Lockdown extension on cards?
The national lockdown proposed for 21 days since March 24 is about to meet its deadline on April 14.
Yet most of the states remain vulnerable to the deadly coronavirus infection, with states like Maharashtra reporting more than 1000 positive cases. Chances of extension of lockdown are hence under the government's consideration.
The death toll due to Covid-19 in India rose to 239 and the number of cases surged to 7,447, according to the Union Health Ministry.
