Days before the lockdown is expected to end, the Centre on Thursday relaxed the criteria to classify red and orange zones in districts having one or more municipal corporations.
The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba with Chief Secretaries and Health Secretaries of states.
Districts having one or more municipal corporations can move to one level lower in zonal classification if one or more units do not report a COVID-19 case for 21 days.
Earlier, such a classification was done if a district or a unit did not report a fresh case for 28 days.
As per the list prepared by the Centre, for the week beginning May 3. Country's 130 districts have been placed in the red zone 284 in the orange zone and 319 in the green zone.