india

Updated: Mar 24, 2020 22:00 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India was going into a complete lockdown mode from midnight on Tuesday resulting in a complete ban in people stepping out of their homes in order to prevent further transmission of Coronavirus in India that has registered over 500 cases so far.

He added that social distancing was the only effective measure to fight Coronavirus that had deflated the most advanced countries across the world despite their infrastructure while criticising those who have been reported to be flouting the restrictions in the last couple of days.

“The cycle of transmission must be broken if we have to defeat Coronavirus,” he said, and added that “Some people were under this misconception that social distancing was only for the sick but it is meant for everyone for their own safety, it applies even to the prime minister.”

He added that some people’s carelessness will cost India dear and it was difficult to gauge how enormous this cost will be, while urging the residents to honour lockdown provisions enforced across the country.

In his last address to the nation on March 19 he called for “resolve and restraint” to fight the disease and introduced the 14-hour long Janta Curfew on Sunday to encourage social distancing to break the chain of transmissions.

The prime minister has held several review meetings including one with the chief ministers and health ministers of all states and with stakeholders outside the government including health care providers and media institutions to coordinate efforts against the spread of Cov-Sars-2.

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba will chair an urgent meeting with all the state Director Generals of Police and Chief Secretaries after the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation to chalk out a plan on coronavirus pandemic, said a news agency.

In his last address to the nation on March 19 he called for “resolve and restraint” to fight the disease and introduced the 14-hour long Janta Curfew on Sunday to encourage social distancing to break the chain of transmissions.

The prime minister has held several review meetings including one with the chief ministers and health ministers of all states and with stakeholders outside the government including health care providers and media institutions to coordinate efforts against the spread of Cov-Sars-2.

In his last address to the nation on March 19, the prime minister had announced the setting up of the task force to lead the fight against the virus, however, the finance minister on Tuesday said the fiscal measures were still in the works and will be announced soon.

Nirmala Sitharaman announced several other relaxations including from the requirement of maintaining a minimum balance in savings account, waiver of surcharge for withdrawing money from ATMs outside the network of an account holder’s own bank, reduction in interest rates on penalties and extension of the deadlines for filling GST for firms and Income Tax Return for individuals among other measures.