Referring to the impact of COVID-19 on country's economy, the prime minister said the government must work on war footing to mitigate the impact, adding that the ministries should prepare a business continuity plan.
New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asked Union ministers to prepare a plan for their respective ministries to contain the economic impact of COVID-19 on war footing, while asserting that this crisis is an opportunity to boost the 'Make-in-India' initiative and reduce dependence on other countries.
Each ministry should identify 10 key decisions and 10 priority areas of focus once the 21-day lockdown ends, Modi said while chairing a meeting of the council of ministers, held for the first time via video-conferencing amid the country wide lockdown to combat the coronavirus outbreak.
"Ministries should prepare a business continuity plan and be ready to fight the economic impact of COVID-19 on war footing. The crisis is also an opportunity to boost Make in India and reduce dependence on other countries," Modi told the ministers, according to an official statement.
Indicating a phased lifting of the current nationwide lockdown, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asked the Union ministers to prepare a "graded plan" to slowly open departments in non-hotspots of the COVID-19, and work on a war footing to mitigate the adverse impact of the pandemic on country's economy.
India is currently under a 21-day lockdown from March 25, with only essential services exempted, to contain the fast-spreading virus, which has claimed more than 70,000 lives globally.
Modi said,"a graded plan to slowly open departments where hotspots aren't existing should be made."
According to sources, the prime minister clearly indicated that the lifting of the lockdown in one go is very unlikely while discussing the modalities of lifting it.
He also asked the ministers whether the restrictions should be lifted sector-wise or district-wise, a source said.
Talking about farmers and harvesting of crops, Modi asked the ministers to explore the use of innovative solutions like 'truck aggregators' on the lines of app-based cab services to connect farmers with mandis.
He again emphasised that lockdown measures and social distancing norms need to go hand in hand.
Modi said the ministers should remain in touch with state and district authorities, provide solutions to emergent problems and formulate district-level micro plans to combat coronavirus, which has infected over 4,000 people and killed at least 109.
The ministers provided feedback to the prime minister on the steps being taken to meet the challenges in tackling the impact of the pandemic.
This is perhaps the first time in the country's history that a meeting of the council of ministers or the cabinet was held virtually.
Earlier, Modi had said India's battle against the coronavirus pandemic will be a long one and asked people to feel neither tired nor defeated, expressing confidence the country will emerge victorious in its fight.
Addressing BJP workers on the party's 40th foundation day, Modi also responded to the Opposition's criticism about his government's measures against COVID-19, asserting that India's efforts have set an example for the world and drawn praise from the World Health Organisation and leaders abroad.
He urged BJP workers to follow his five-point suggestions, similar to what party president J P Nadda had said earlier.
They should ensure that no poor person goes hungry, the prime minister said.
He asked them to urge people to download the Aarogya Setu app, which informs and advises users about the coronavirus, distribute face covers and asked others to sign on thank you messages to emergency staff.
Asserting that the battle against the pandemic is no less than a war, he urged party workers to donate to the PM-CARES Fund and also encourage others to contribute to it to help his government's measures against the pandemic.
India is among the countries which understood the seriousness of COVID-19 and launched a comprehensive and timely exercise to combat it, he said, adding that the country took one decision after another and worked to implement them on the ground.
Opposition leaders, including Congress' Rahul Gandhi, have claimed the central government did not respond in time to the virus.
Modi, who stressed on the need for wearing face covers outside the house, listed measures like the thermal screening of international passengers, evacuation of Indian nationals abroad and barring flights from certain countries and ramping up of medical infrastructure taken by his government.
The 21-day nation-wide lockdown announced by Modi last month is set to end on April 14.