Will lockdown be lifted on April 14?

The answer is perhaps yes but certainly with some definite restriction. Although there are no official words out, the most likely plan is to open the districts where the incident of Coronavirus is less than 15 but restricting private transport and completely closing interstate transport.

The indication from the government is that post-April 14,there is going to be no blanket lifting of the lockdown. The discussion agendason the table are all built around a staggered exit with a timeline that is yetto be drawn.

There may be "rational lockdown" which involves amicro-managed staggered exit formula. The government assessment is that the lockdownhas proved to be an effective instrument in the battle against the virus. Butit is hurting the public and the economy.

State governments are expected to send their reports by theend of this week and prime minister may hold another round of discussions withall chief ministers.

Most chief ministers are working on state-specific windowsof easing the lockdown to make space for important annual exercise like theharvesting of crops. Already states like Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh haveannounced some relaxation for labourers involved in harvesting wheat and othercrops.

In Assam tea industry is certainly to be relaxed by April 15 as crucial days are lost in the last three weeks and tea buses need regular maintenance.

The government does not want to push for a quick exitfearing it may end the high degree of social distancing achieved during thelockdown. That's why it wants the government and private sector to cometogether to find a way out.

The biggest challenge faced is — what next for the surface,air and water transport. States are still not in favour of interstate movementwhich rules out the movement of buses, etc. Though railways is a centralentity, trains cannot be operated until the states give their consent.

Indian Railways has already created a working formula to ensurethat freight, which includes an uninterrupted supply of essentials like sugar,salt and edible oil for the consumption of the common man during the nationwidelockdown due to Covid-19. The loading, transportation and unloading of theseessential commodities have been in progress in full swing during this period.

The government's biggest worry is the large industrial unitsrun by private corporate houses. Their operations, directly and indirectly,employ crores of people. Plus the lockdown is hurting their balance sheets,which will destroy their financial sustainability. Eyeing the future prospectsof the economy, today in the cabinet meeting, the prime minister asked allministries to prepare a business continuity plan to fight the economic impactof Covid-19.