Telangana CM KCR Asks PM Modi To Extend Lockdown By Two Weeks

HYDERABAD: Speaking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a video conference on Saturday, Chief Minister of Telangana K. Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) made an impassionate appeal to the prime minister to extend the nationwide lockdown by another two weeks to be able to effectively contain the spread of the COVID-19 in the country.

KCR requested PM Modi to exclude the food processing industries of the state from COVID-19 lockdown, as it would be helpful to farmers and also necessary for the supply of essential commodities to the people of the state during this lockdown period. During the four hour-long video conference with PM Modi and other CMs, KCR made some valuable suggestions for combating the COVID-19 and measures to save farmers and economy.

Claiming the importance of lockdown in controlling the contagion in the country, he stressed on the need for further extension of lockdown. The Telangana chief minister added that India is unitedly fighting against the deadly coronavirus pandemic and made an appeal to all the chief ministers and prime minister to continue with the lockdown, with the same spirit for at least two to three weeks which, he felt, would give the country enough time to arrest the spread of the virus.

The Telangana Chief Minister thanked the Prime Minister for his support to the state government during this tough times.

CM KCR reminded everyone of the importance of agriculture, describing it as the ‘backbone’ for the country’s economy. He said that farmers should continue their works and all the state governments should support them in this regard to make sure that India always remained self-sufficient in terms of food production.

KCR requested the PM Modi to extend the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) to also the agriculture sector to ensure that the farmers receive required support for at least two months.

CM KCR gave a suggestion to the Centre and all CMs that it would be beneficial to all the states and people if every state government distributes at least three months of ration to people in advance, for clearing the existing stock of food in the godowns and creating place for fresh crop yield.

In fact, KCR was One of the first among the Chief Ministers of India to make a strong pitch for the lockdown extension a few days ago. Addressing the media then, he categorically stated that lifting the lockdown so soon without fully curbing the Coronavirus spread could prove catastrophic. He came up with examples of how most advanced countries like the United States of America, Italy and Spain are clueless about combating the killer contagion.

KCR had personally appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to lift the lockdown so soon, he cautioned the people that people’s lives become the utmost priority and it takes precedence over even the economy that collapsed due to the COVID-19 induced lockdown.

After KCR’s open statement, six other states joined the chorus pressing the Centre for extending the lockdown period for some more time. Even the Centre appeared to have dropped enough hints that the situation is not conducive for the lifting of the lockdown in the country and whatever needs to be done, should be done in a phased manner.

Also Read: COVID-19: Now, Telangana Makes Face Masks Compulsory