Prime Minister Narendra Modi today interacted with the Chief Ministers of all the States and UTs in the country to discuss the road ahead in India’s fight against COVID-19.

• We now have reasonably clear indication as to the geographical spread of the pandemic in India, including the worst affected areas. Moreover, over the past few weeks, officials have understood operating procedures in a time such as this, right up to the District level.
• We have a twofold challenge – to reduce the transmission rate of the disease, and to increase public activity gradually, while adhering to all the guidelines, and we will have to work towards achieving both these objectives.
• Efforts should be to stop the spread of the COVID-19 to rural areas.
• Suggestions made by the States for a roadmap on Economy have been given due consideration.
• The new way of life would be on the principle of “Jan Se lekar Jag Tak”, from an individual to the whole of humanity.

Even as we look at the gradual withdrawal of the lockdown, we should constantly remember that till we do not find a vaccine or a solution, the biggest weapon with us to the fight the virus is social distancing

• Request States to share with me by 15^th May, a broad strategy on how you each one of you would want to deal with the lockdown regime in your particular states.
• I want states to make a blue print on how to deal with various nuances during and after the gradual easing of the lockdown.
• Measures needed in the first phase of lockdown were not needed during the 2^nd phase and similarly the measures needed in the 3^rd Phase are not needed in the fourth.