Punjab government also extended Lockdown till April 30th

Yesterday Orissa Government become the first state to extend its states lockdown till 30th April. That On Friday, the Punjab government decided to the extent it’s Lockdown till 1st May According to a government spokesperson.

The main purpose of this extended Lockdown was to lower the community check of the  Coronavirus Pandemic and avoid overcrowding for the upcoming harvest season at Mandis. This decision was by Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh along with other cabinet ministers through video conference.

According to the official spokesperson The decision was conveyed by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder to PM Narendra Modi at Saturday’s conference with the chief ministers.

Estimating the serious situation about the upcoming weeks spread of the pandemic, The CM Amarinder said that the extended Lockdown is necessary to protect the state’s medical infrastructure so that it may not get overburdened.

He said, adding that he hoped there was a cure soon “There was general consensus in the medical community that the lockdown curbs would only delay the spread of the disease”.

The Cabinet has decided to set up a multi-disciplinary task force to draw up an exit strategy for a gradual easing of the curfew. The task force will have 15 members representing trade, business, industry, agriculture, civil society and health care professionals, and has 10 days to submit its report. The cabinet also decided to promote students of Classes 5 and 8 to the next class.

The Cabinet also approved establishment of a high-powered committee to suggest a road map for state’s economic revival after the coronavirus crisis ends. Punjab Cabinet decided that former Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Ahluwalia will head the committee.

The Cabinet also decided to ask the central government to set up an Advance Centre of Virology in Punjab at an estimated investment of Rs 500 crore, with the state government to offer land free of cost for the project.