States look to ease curbs, restart interstate travel in lockdown 4.0

States submit proposals to Centre seeking relaxation of curbs in non-containment zones

nGUWAHATI/DEHRADUN/KOLKATA: Several states on Friday submitted their proposals for Covid-19 lockdown 4.0, asking the Centre to allow interstate travel, easier movement in non-containment zones and sectors like tourism and hospitality to restart work to revive the economy, multiple officials said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said suggestions from the states would be considered for formulating guidelines for the next phase of the lockdown to check the pandemic spread, which is expected to begin from May 18. He said the next set of the curbs are going to be different from the earlier lockdown rules. The Centre is likely to allow more flexibility to the states in formulating the fresh lockdown guidelines.

Officials said Punjab has suggested doing away with the zoning system (red, orange and green) based on the scale of the Covid-19 cases with no activity allowed in the areas falling under the first category.

It wants all activities to be allowed in non-containment areas. “We have also suggested that all public transport buses should run and shops, except malls, must be allowed to open,” said an official on condition of anonymity. The state wants the lockdown to be extended till May end, the official added.

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal said they have written to the Centre seeking an extension of the lockdown by another two weeks and financial help. Sonowal said providing employment to a large number of migrants workers, who have returned to the state because of the lockdown, remains a big challenge.

Uttarakhand has sought permission to allow Char Dham pilgrimage and tourist activities, which are the mainstay of the state’s economy. “We have requested the Centre to allow some tourism activities in green zones and the opening of a few holy shrines. We also want work under the MGNREGS [National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme] to be allowed for 150 days [from 100 days annually],” said Uttarakhand minister Madan Kaushik.

Kaushik echoed ministers in other Bharatiya Janata Partyruled states and said they will follow the Centre’s guidelines on the next phase of curbs.

Officials in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh said the chief ministers of these states have submitted their suggestions to the Centre and will provide details only after the notification on fresh guidelines

Madhya Pradesh

4,595 169 2,283

Chhattisgarh

66

Maharashtra

29,100

Telangana

1,454

Goa

15 0 7

Karnataka

1,576 40 959 1,056 69 480