Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday suggested that a “modified lockdown” could be enforced beyond April 14 when the present spell comes to an end, to enable the States to utilise their internal resources for bringing the economy back on track.
“My thinking is that a modified lockdown should come into force. To what extent it can happen depends on the Central government,” Mr. Gehlot said at an interaction with journalists through video conferencing at his residence here.
Mr. Gehlot said the States could open up some sectors and allow movement of vehicles to restart limited services and agricultural value chain operations, but added that the inter-State transport would be possible only with the Centre’s cooperation. The States had become weaker under the impact of the lockdown.
“It is easy to announce a lockdown which stops everything, but it is a bigger challenge to end it and bring the life back on rails,” Mr. Gehlot said pointing out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had hinted at extending the lockdown during his meeting with the Chief Ministers on Saturday.
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The Rajasthan government had announced the lockdown on March 21, three days before the nationwide lockdown was brought into force to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Two task forces appointed by Mr. Gehlot on April 4 are examining the strategies for a phased withdrawal of the lockdown and bringing the economy back to normal.
