india

Updated: Apr 25, 2020 14:18 IST

Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Saturday said that Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh will decide whether or not the coronavirus lockdown in the state will be extended.

Sidhu said that the chief minister will consult all the departments and there could be a state cabinet meeting over the same.

The 21-day nationwide coronavirus lockdown was extended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 14. The lockdown will now come to an end on May 3.

Telangana was the first state that decided to extend the Covid-19 lockdown beyond May 3.

It depends on the Chief Minister, he will consult all the departments. There could be a state cabinet meeting over it: Balbir Singh Sidhu, Punjab Health Minister on if lockdown will be extended in Punjab #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/N9AA3I7Snd — ANI (@ANI) April 25, 2020

“The cabinet has decided to extend the lockdown in the state till May 7. The cabinet will take stock of the situation on May 5,” Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao said last week.

This comes when the Union Home Ministry, in its order issued late Friday night, allowed some shops to open as part of easing of lockdown restrictions.

“All registered shops regd (registered) under Shops & Establishment Act of respective States/ UTs, including shops in residential complexes, neighborhood & standalone shops exempted from #lockdown restrictions,” the order read.

Later in the day, the government clarified that only standalone shops - those not a part of any market complex, a cluster of shops, or those inside malls - shall be allowed to open.

Delhi said it will not implement easing of restrictions on the opening of shops in the national capital while Assam said a decision in this regard would be taken on April 27.

In Uttar Pradesh, the administration has decided not to allow any public gatherings till June 30.