CORONA VIRUS LIVE | Modi locks down India for 21 days from midnight ( 24 March to 14 April )

CORONA VIRUS LIVE | Modi locks down India for 21 days from midnight  ( 24  March to 14 April )

Coronavirus LIVE updates: The government deferred deadlines for filing tax returns, extended a tax amnesty program and unveiled other relief steps, while promising more measures to support the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are very close to coming up with an economic package which will be announced sooner rather than later,” said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at a press conference in Delhi.

India, Asia’s third-largest economy, is under pressure to boost spending to fight the economic fallout of the pandemic that’s infected close to 400,000 people globally and 519 in India and brought normal life to a halt. 

Citizens across India observed a self-imposed curfew Sunday, a day when the country’s borders were also sealed temporarily to international flights aimed at limiting the spread of the virus.

Guidelines for India lockdown :

“Today India is at the stage where our actions today, will decide that to what extent we can bring down the impact of this disaster. This is the time to strengthen our resolve again and again,” PM Modi said in the televised addressed as the number of Coronavirus cases shot past 500 in the country.

India is hoping to break the chain of Coronavirus spread which has infected  hundreds of people so far. The total number of Coronavirus positive cases in India reached 519 on Tuesday. This includes 39 discharged people and 9 deaths, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.  After break on passenger trains across India, Aviation Ministry said that all domestic flights will also be grounded from Wednesday midnight.

Delhi CM Kejriwal also announced a partial curfew in Delhi while Punjab has announced a complete curfew in the state.   The number of cases in Maharashtra and Kerala have gone past 100. Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh have also seen a rise in cases so far.

During the period of lockdown, goods services will keep on running. Metro and suburban train services have also been restricted in many cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Chennai, Bangalore, etc. During the lockdown, state administrations have been advised to keep the essential services running. Hospitals, medical stores grocery and vegetable shops are asked to function normally.