Jaan bhi, Jahan Bhi: Modi tells CMs calling for extending lockdown

The central government is considering extending the three-week lockdown of the country as Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged chief ministers to ensure people’s welfare, said a spokesperson on Saturday.

"While announcing the lockdown, I had said 'jaan hai to jahan hai'... Most people in the country understood it and discharged their responsibilities by remaining indoors. And now it is imperative to focus on both aspects, 'Jaan bhi Jahan Bhi (life and wellbeing), for India's bright future, and prosperous and healthy India," Modi told chief ministers in a video meeting this morning.

"During the video-conferencing with state CMs today, most states requested Prime Minister Modi to extend the lockdown for two more weeks. The Central Government is considering this request," a spokesperson said.

The lockdown maybe extended with rules relaxed to help businesses and restrictions eased in areas unaffected by the virus spread, reported news agency PTI.

During the video conference with Modi, several chief ministers including Punjab's Amarinder Singh, West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee and Delhi's Arvind Kejriwal had suggested extending the lockdown at least by a fortnight.

The 21-day nationwide lockdown to contain the COVID-19 crisis, announced by Modi on March 24, is scheduled to end on April 14.

Modi was accompanied by some senior officials, including from the Union health ministry, during the meeting and the chief ministers who participated in it also included Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal), Uddhav Thackeray (Maharashtra), Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh), Manohar Lal (Haryana), K Chandrashekhar Rao (Telangana) and Nitish kumar (Bihar).