Odisha CM urges Modi to extend lockdown till April 30

Bhubaneswar, April 11 (IANS) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to extend the natiowide lockdown till April 30 to slow down the spread of the coronavirus. Patnaik made the suggestion during during a video-conference held by Modi with all the Chief Ministers to discuss the next steps to fight against the pandemic. Notably, Odisha is the first state to extend the lockdown period till April 30. The state Chief Minister also suggested that air and train services should not be resumed till April 30. Agriculture and allied activities including MGNRGES should be operational maintaining social distance, he added. Patnaik also requested the Prime Minister that people from Odisha stranded in other states should be taken care of by the concerned states. "Odisha will continue to take care of workers from outside who are stranded in the state," he added.
--IANS cd/sdr/