PM's 8 pm Speech On Lockdown Likely To Highlight Migrants: Sources

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 8 pm today, a day after his six-hour meeting with Chief Ministers on the road ahead after May 17, when the nationwide coronavirus lockdown is due to end. This will be his third such address since he announced the lockdown in late March to slow the spread of the highly infectious COVID-19.

The Prime Minister may speak on the crisis of thousands of migrants on the move, desperate to reach home after losing their jobs during the lockdown. Walking, cycling, hitching rides on trucks or even riding autorickshaws, many have lost their lives in accidents or because of hunger and exhaustion.

Yesterday, in his online meeting with Chief Ministers, the PM had said while their movement would impact states, if they were determined, they should be able to return home in the next 10 days. "It is human nature to want to go home," he had said.

"We know that this will lead to a spike in infections, but this will help free the country from coronavirus," he added, urging states to prepare a plan for the migrants and to boost economic activity.

PM Modi had also hinted in the meeting that the lockdown - extended twice - would continue, but with far less restrictions.

"I am of the firm view that the measures needed in the first phase of lockdown were not needed during the second phase and similarly the measures needed in the third phase are not needed in the fourth," the Prime Minister said, according to a statement released after the meeting.

Restrictions like a night curfew and limited public transport may continue in areas worst affected by COVID-19, sources said.

All Chief Ministers spoke at the meeting and while some favoured continuing the tough restrictions, many talked about easing restrictions significantly except in the red zones, or those with maximum infections. Transport, shops and other economic activity should be reopened gradually in zones designated green or orange, with relatively less virus cases, the Chief Ministers said.

PM Modi has asked states to share by May 15 (Friday) a broad strategy on how they would want to deal with the lockdown regime. "I want states to make a blue print on how to deal with various nuances during and after the gradual easing of the lockdown", he said.

After his last meeting with Chief Ministers in April, the government had relaxed the rules for businesses and transport.

Coronavirus cases in India crossed 70,000 today.

The lockdown, the world's biggest, was enforced on March 25, with the government asking people to go out only for food and medicines.