Don't open state borders, relax borrowing limits: Chhattisgarh CM to Shah

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah not to open state boundaries for now, and also stressed that states should be consulted regarding train and air services amid the Covid-19 lockdown, officials said.

The telephonic conversation between Baghel and Union Home Minister took place on Thursday.

He also appealed to the Union Home Minister to give some relaxations in the borrowing limit of states from 3 per cent of GSDP to 5 per cent under the economic package.

On Thursday, Shah spoke to Chief Ministers of states to get their views on the lockdown enforced to contain the spread of coronavirus. The telephonic conversations took place three days before the scheduled end of the fourth phase of the lockdown on May 31.

The lockdown was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 to contain the spread of coronavirus.

The fourth phase of lockdown was enforced with some relaxations.