JOIN USCoronavirus Lockdown: No option to drop caution, says PM Narendra Modi ahead of 'Unlock 1.0'
As India begins a graded exit plan from June 8 and opening interstate travel from Monday after the 68th day of the nation-wide complete lockdown ends on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautioned people against dropping caution telling them that the road ahead for the fight against COVID-19 is a long one.
“COVID-19 very much exists and we cannot be complacent. We cannot afford to become careless, drop caution. There is no such option. The fight against Corona(virus) is still very much serious. You, your family, may still face grave danger from Corona(virus) (aapko, aapke parivar to Corona se abhi bhi utna hi Gambhir khatra ho sakta hai). There should be no laxity in following the rules of maintaining two yards distance, wearing a face mask and staying indoors as far as possible,” the Prime Minister said addressing his monthly radio address ‘Mann Ki Baat’.
Modi said, “The path of our fight against Corona(virus) goes a long way. It is a calamity, a scourge that does not have an antidote in the entire world. There is no prior experience on that. All of us also have to bear in mind that after such austere penance, and after so many hardships, the country’s deft handling of the situation should not go in vain. We must not let this fight weaken. Becoming careless or lackadaisical cannot be an option. The fight against Corona(virus) is still equally serious. A big part of our economy, trains, flights have been opened. We need to be all the more careful in such a situation.”
The Prime Minister also indicated plans for bringing eastern India on the map of economic development in the wake of the massive migrant crisis during COVID-19 laying bare open the wounds of joblessness and poverty in states falling in the region—two of which Bihar and West Bengal goes to polls in 2020 and 2021 respectively. Uttar Pradesh goes to polls in 2022. The three states that will go to polls before next Lok Sabha elections have 162 Lok Sabha seats.
Commendable efforts by some states in helping those, who are most vulnerable. Skill mapping of migrant workers, migration commission. Wide opportunities for small industries.
While noting the skill mapping of returned migrant labourers being done by Bihar’s NDA government and setting of migrant commission by BJP government of Uttar Pradesh, Modi noted had our villages, districts, states been self-dependent, many problems would not have been present before use in the shape and size that they are today and dubbed the current scenario an eye-opener.
Noting that the nation’s balanced economic development is possible only through the development of Eastern India, Modi said ever since the country offered him the opportunity to serve, “we have accorded priority to the development of eastern India. And now, considering the migrant labourers, the need of the hour is devising a new solution - paradigm…. we are ceaselessly taking steps in that direction."
“In the pain of our labour, we can see the pain of Eastern India, which has the potential to become the growth engine of the country, whose labour-power has the capacity to take the nation to new heights. The development of that eastern region is very important,” Modi said.
Modi underlined the virtues of Yoga and Ayurveda in the fight against COVID-19 and hailed people for powering the fight against the disease through innovative spirits of the citizens and noted “India’s Seva Shakti is visible in the fight against COVID-19. Every Indian has played a part in the battle against COVID-19.”
He noted that the COVID-19 mortality rate in India is very low despite the country’s population is much bigger than that of many other countries. The Prime Minister spoke on the Locust menace, water conservation and environment issue as well.