DGHS Notice dated 12.05.2020

Lockdown doubts

‘Lockdown 4.0 in new form, with new rules’

‘Lockdown 4.0 in new form, with new rules’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:  13.05.2020

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday confirmed that there would be a fourth phase of lockdown, but said its contours would be very different from the rules that shaped the three national lockdowns since March 25, with the last scheduled to end on May 17.

“Lockdown 4.0 will be completely different and will have new rules. I am confident that we will, while fighting the virus by following the rules, move forward,” Modi said, adding the new rules, based on the suggestions from chief ministers, would be announced before May 18.

The remark was seen as an indication that the new anti-coronavirus protocol will allow for accelerated exit from the lockdown to facilitate resumption of economic activity and normalcy.

The PM said ways had to be devised to ensure the virus didn’t set India back. “Experts and scientists are unanimous that the virus will be part of our life for a long time to come. But we cannot let ourselves be hostage to it. We will wear masks and follow the two-yard distancing norm, but will not give up the pursuit of our goals,” he said.

Exit from lockdown may come with a containment strategy

Modi’s reference suggests that exit from the lockdown will come alongside a containment strategy which will seek to identify, contain and prevent hotspots. The experimentation with businesses being allowed to open with reduced staff strength and social distancing is seen to have delivered encouraging results and more relaxations will follow.

The country has already seen the first steps to restore mass transport and the possibility of metro and air services being reopened soon is very likely. The home ministry guidelines are expected to allow more services to function and these will almost certainly include expanded delivery of non-essentials by e-commerce companies.

Modi's comments are also seen in the light of his message to chief ministers on Monday that graded opening of the economy will continue apace alongside vigorous containment efforts. On Tuesday, he said life could not be held hostage to coronavirus and there was a need to work towards targets while exercising due caution.

Imortant Public Notice Northern Railway

Can’t restrict home quarantine to 14 days: HC

Can’t restrict home quarantine to 14 days: HC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:13.05.2020

Delhi high court has said that the home quarantine period for Covid-19 patients cannot be limited to the mandatory 14 days as there is no certainty about the virus’ virulence, gestation period or the time taken for an infected person to manifest the symptoms.

Justice C Hari Shankar said that at a time when Covid-19 has the world “befuddled” and the administration is “traversing uncharted territory”, it needs to be given the freedom to lay down and implement its policy to deal with the pandemic. “The executive must, in such a circumstance, be afforded the requisite play in the joints, so as to formulate and implement its policy, as meaningfully and efficiently as possible. Absent any legal or constitutional infraction, courts have to be slow in subjecting executive action taken in context of the novel coronavirus crisis to searching judicial scrutiny,” the high court observed.

“In this background, this court is unwilling to hold that in each and every case, the period of home quarantine must stand limited to 14 days and no more,” it added. The court, however, noted that any person not displaying the symptoms of infection nor having tested positive for the disease, if quarantined for more than 14 days, can represent against it to the authorities to the authorities who have to either give reasons for it or lift the restriction..

The court’s observations came while disposing of plea questioning the manner in which the authorities were implementing the guidelines as one of the 72 families, which had contact with a Covid-19 infected pizza delivery person, was put in quarantine for over 30 days.

The order came on the petition by one Amit Bhargava, who alleged he was put in home quarantine from midnight of March 24-25, when he had first contact with the delivery person, till April 28 — for a period of over 30 days as against the stipulated 14 days. However, the high court rejected the argument of Bhargava’s lawyer that there was no justification to put him under home quarantine of more than 14 days.

The court said that the administration needed to be given the freedom to lay down and implement its policy to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic

CM seeks feedback on future relaxations

CM seeks feedback on future relaxations

Says Inputs To Be Added To Final Submission

AlokKNMishra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:  13.05.2020

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Delhi and other states to submit suggestions on lockdown relaxations after May 17, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal invited suggestions from people of Delhi on how to ease the restrictions. The government will discuss these with doctors and experts and submit a detailed roadmap to the central government. Delhi government wants to strike a balance between fighting the novel coronavirus and saving lives and rejuvenating the economy and livelihoods.

Suggestions can be sent on the toll-free number 1031, WhatsApp number 8800007722 or by email to delhicm.suggestions@gmail.com by 5pm on May 13.

Within hours of the CM’s invitation at a press conference on Tuesday, hundreds of suggestions started pouring in. An official said in seven hours, three lakh WhatsApp messages and 5,000 emails were received, while 25,000 people called on the phone number released by the government. Some market associations sought the reopening of markets on an odd-even basis, while some traders have demanded allowing public transport with all precautions and strict social distancing.

At the press conference Kejriwal said, “The PM wanted to know from the states the level of relaxations and restrictions they desired and asked them to send their suggestions to the central gover nment by May 15, based on which it will decide on activities post-May 17.” The Covid lockdown had earlier been extended up to May 17.

“I want the views of Delhi’s people on lifting the lockdown. The coronavirus is spreading and full removal of lockdown will not be a good idea,” Kejriwal said. “I want your suggestions on the tenure and level of relaxations, on the sectors that should get relaxation, and whether buses, autorickshaws and Delhi Metro should begin.” He also wanted to learn whether Delhiites thought markets and industrial areas opening was acceptable.

He, however, cautioned, “If the restrictions are lifted, we have to maintain social distancing, wear masks and follow precautions. While it is a time to stop the spread of Covid-19, there is also a need for resume economic activities.”

Kejriwal clarified that there would be no “voting” on the suggestions collected by Delhi govenrment. The ideas submitted by the people would be discussed with medical and other experts and a set of recommendations prepared for submission to the Centre by May 15.

The 50 days of closure have hit the economy and livelihoods in Delhi. Kejriwal’s view has been that all economic activities should be allowed with the necessary precautions, including social distancing, in non-containment zones, because a prolonged freeze would cause severe damage to businesses and livelihoods. Kejriwal had recently stated that the novel coronavirus was here to stay and it was time people learnt to live with it. The city currently has 81 coronavirus containment zones.

PM Raises Stimulus Size To 10% Of GDP

PM Raises Stimulus Size To 10% Of GDP

Will Total ₹20L Cr; Goes ‘Vocal For Local’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:  13.05.2020

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the government would unveil a Rs 20 lakh crore package to help nurse the economy back to health and also unleash a new set of reforms focussed on land, labour, liquidity and legal frameworks that would power India’s push for self-reliance.

Addressing the nation a day after he had held detailed deliberations with chief ministers and days before Lockdown 3.0 ends, the PM said the mega package would be announced over the coming days by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman even as he strongly identified the theme of “atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India)” that he said wouldn’t be a self-absorbed vision but would rather make the country a part of global supply chains — seen as part of the overall strategy to attract foreign companies planning to shift from China.

Modi said the package, which includes measures already announced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the finance ministry, would be equal to 10% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). The RBI had announced support equal to 3.2% of GDP and the Garib Kalyan Yojana unveiled by Sitharaman on March 26 accounted for 0.8% of GDP.

The PM’s speech included a promise that new reforms wouldn’t ignore migrant labour and those whose livelihoods had been hit hard by Covid-19 and a call to be “vocal for local” .

There was a specific reference to “rediwalas and thela walas (street vendors)”, part of the flow of migrants leaving cities in droves in the face of the pandemic’s economic impact, along with references to cottage industry, MSME, middle class, industries and other sectors.

Economy doesn’t need incremental steps but a quantum jump: Modi

Outlining the need for bold steps, the PM said the economy did not need incremental steps but a quantum jump and added this was one of the “five pillars” of a selfreliant India. The others are infrastructure, a tech-driven system that delivers on the dreams of a modern India, demography that is vibrant and demand that is fed by supply chains capable of meeting the needs of a growing nation. He added that this includeed a rational tax system.

Aware that the unprecedented lockdown had hurt people’s earnings,Modi sought to buoy spirits by saying though the threat was unparalleled, there was no room for tiredness, being defeated or dispersing in the face of the disease. He said no goal was impossible and India had the means and will to set targets and meet them.

Highlighting their contribution to the country and the suffering they have had experienced, Modi said the package would also focus on empowering the poor, labourers, migrants and others from both organised and unorganised sectors.

To put the overall package in context, the government had announced a package equivalent to 4% of GDP during the global financial crisis in 2008-09. The Rs 20 lakh crore package compares with Germany’s 10.7% of GDP and more than the 9.7% of GDP package unveiled by France to tackle the impact of Covid-19 on their economies. Several experts had called for a big stimulus which the government seems to have accepted except that it will be split into several components.

Modi underlined the importance of strengthening all stakeholders in the supply chain to increase, as well as fulfil, demand and made a strong pitch for local manufacturing and local products. He said the crisis had taught the country of the importance of local manufacturing, local market and local supply chains. “All our demands during the crisis were met ‘locally’. Now, it’s time to be vocal about local products and help these local products become global,” Modi said as he called for a self-reliant India.

The PM said self-reliance would prepare India for tough competition in the global supply chain, and it was important that the country won this competition. He said the same theme had been kept in mind while preparing the package. “It will not only increase efficiency in various sectors but also ensure quality,” he added.

Modi said the definition of selfreliance had undergone a change in the globalised world and clarified that when the country talked about self-reliance, it was different from being self-centred. He said India’s culture considered the world as one family, and progress in India was part of, and also contributed to, progress in the whole world. He said the world trusted that India had a lot to contribute towards development of the entire humanity.

Full report on www.toi.in

A girl watches PM Modi’s address to the nation at her home in Bikaner on Tuesday

FULL COVERAGE: P 2-16