Breaking COVID-19 chain, lifting lockdown priority for Maha govt: Thackeray

Maharashtra government's priority is to break the chain of COVID-19 pandemic as soon as possible andhe lockdown to get the state economy back on track, state tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray said on Tuesday.

Maharashtra is the most-affected state in the country with the number of COVID-19 positive cases crossing 4,000 mark and death toll rising to over 200.

Even before Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown in the country on March 25, Maharashtra had announced a lockdown from March 23, while all construction activities had come to a standstill since March 21.

"We are currently in the middle of a crisis that world might have ever seen in the history of humanity. While we, as a government, are sensitive towards the economic pain that various sectors are going through, the priority for us is to break this chain of coronavirus pandemic," Thackeray said during an online seminar organised by real estate apex body Naredco.

He said the intent of the government is to completely lift the lockdown as soon as possible but not before it is able to break the pandemic chain.

"In my interactions with various stakeholders, I am asked two questions- when will the lockdown go and how long is it (lockdown) sustainable. The only answer to these questions is- as long as we, as a country, are successful in controlling the spread. We too are not happy to impose it but our success lies in breaking the chain. It is important to save lives first," Thackeray said.

He said the state along with local bodies have conducted over 75,800 tests so far and only 6 per cent have tested positive.

Noting that the real estate sector has been under pressure since the past few years, he said the government was committed to assisting the sector.

"Maharashtra has the largest number of industries with the largest manufacturing and services base and a vibrant housing industry. Due to demonetisation or haphazard implementation of the GST, the real estate sector has been feeling the pain, but the new government under chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, we are working towards coming up with some solutions. I am not promising a concrete solution at this moment but we have already set up a task force which is working towards it," he added.

Developers' associations have been demanding a one time stimulus package for the sector along with reduction in GST as well as stamp duty.