PM Narendra Modi interacts with 14 states on day 2 of consultations on coronavirus crisis

Continuing with his consultations with state governments on ways to check the spread of coronavirus during 'unlock 1.0', Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday is holding interaction with chief ministers and representatives of 14 states and the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

His virtual interaction on day two of his consultations with states is attended by the chief ministers of Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka, Gujara, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar among others, and assumes importance as some of these states account for a majority of the cases in the country.

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is not participating in the meet as her name was reportedly missing from the list of speakers.

On Tuesday too, he had interacted with chief ministers, LGs and administrators of 21 states and UTs on opening up the economy and at the same time preventing a surge in coronavirus cases.

The meeting comes on a day the country registered the highest-ever spike of 2,003 COVID-19 fatalities pushing the death toll to 11,903 after Maharashtra and Delhi added earlier deaths that were not attributed to the disease.

Of the 2,003 new deaths, Maharashtra accounted for the highest 1,409 fatalities taking its COVID-19 death tally to 5,537, while coronavirus deaths in Delhi surged by 437 taking it to 1,837, according to the Health Ministry data updated at 8 am on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Modi had told the participants that the economy is showing "green shoots" as the country emerges from the coronavirus lockdown.

He also underscored the importance of being focussed on both life and livelihood.

He said on the one hand health infrastructure will need to be boosted with emphasis on testing and tracing, and on the other hand economic activity will also need to be increased.