Slow and Steady Exit

The Hindu Newsletter - Slow and Steady Exit Monday 27, April 2020 [alt_text]( The Evening Wrap Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. We hope you are staying home and staying safe. Here are the big stories that you need to follow today: Slow and Steady Exit As we enter the final week of the 40-day lockdown, the spotlight is on what kind of exit strategy the country would opt for. While restraints on economic activity seem likely to continue beyond May 3, there are as yet no signs that the caseload in India is getting markedly better. These were the main topics under discussion in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s video call with chief ministers today. The final message from the meeting seemed clear: Any exit from the lockdown would be graded, and take into account caseload and virulence. Reportedly, many of the chief ministers who attended the meeting had requested an extension of the lockdown. Modi, according to sources, told them that while economic activity was important, it would be undertaken with some reservations, only within certain districts, and with several caveats. “We have to be brave and bring in reforms that touch the lives of common citizens,” he said. In particular he stressed that close regulation and restrictions would continue in areas classified as hotspots . “The country has seen two lockdowns till now, both different in certain aspects, and now we have to think of the way ahead. Masks and face covers will become a way of life for us in the days ahead, and under the circumstances, everyone’s aim must be rapid response,” he noted. Only some CMs could speak For this video call with the PM, only nine Chief Ministers could get to speak, apparently because of time constraints. The rest were just told to “sit in”. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan deputed his Chief Secretary to attend on his behalf and Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh also did not attend. The nine States whose CMs were allowed to speak were Mizoram, Meghalaya, Puducherry, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, Gujarat and Haryana. That CMs of States that have been badly affected by COVID-19, such as Maharashtra and West Bengal, were not given a chance to speak. The Chief Ministers of Odisha and Meghalaya, among others, asked for an extension of the lockdown, with some relaxations for economic activities. Odisha asked for an extension till June 3. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, meanwhile, asked for a clear countrywide policy on bringing back migrant workers. Several states have now begun to take their own steps to facilitate this. Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy told the Press Trust of India that the majority of the chief ministers who spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the video call today wanted the lockdown to continue after May 3, and asked him to adopt a cautious approach toward lifting it. Covid Watch: Numbers and developments The total number of positive coronavirus cases reported from India at the time of publishing this newsletter stands at 29,050, with the death toll at 925. For a detailed state-wise break up of cases, deaths, and testing rates, follow our tracker [here](. In a major development today, the ICMR has advised states to stop using rapid antibody test kits procured from two Chinese companies, Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech and Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics, after it found wide variation in their sensitivity, despite early promise of good performance for surveillance purposes. “Several States have procured rapid antibody test kits, and on their demand, ICMR has also provided these kits with clear instructions that they are to be used only for surveillance purpose. Later, some States raised issues regarding their performance during the testing exercise that they have undertaken,’’ said the release issued by ICMR. Kim Jong-un mystery One story that found a mention in Evening Wrap last week as a mysterious development is the disappearance from all public activity of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. We have a fascinating analysis piece from our International Affairs Editor Stanly Johny, where he asks: “Is he unwell? Is he staying away from the public during the time of the novel coronavirus crisis? Or is his retreat part of some tactical plan?” [This is not the first time Kim has disappeared from public]( life. In 2014, he went missing from the state media for over a month, triggering speculations about his health, but later reappeared with a cane. This time the rumours are more serious, with one report claiming that he’s in a vegetative situation and unnamed American intelligence officials telling the CNN that he’s in “grave danger”. Rahul cries foul Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday hit out at companies selling Covid-19 testing kits imported from China, for reportedly trying to profit from India’s fight against COVID-19. Gandhi’s reaction came after reports that the companies were selling kits to the ICMR at inflated prices. “Even when the entire country is fighting the Covid-19 disaster, some people do not miss out on making unfair profits,” he tweeted in Hindi. “Shame, disgust at this corrupt mentality.” In brief: The Vellore district administration in Tamil Nadu (TN) [has erected brick walls on three highwaysÂ](connected to Chittoor district, as part of steps to tackle the COVID-19 spread. The walls with cement bricks came up all of a sudden on the Palamaner-Gudiyattam road, Chittoor-Tiruttani and Chittoor-Vellore roads. At a couple of places, the cement bricks were placed on one another, while near Palamaner, the officials deployed construction workers to cement the wall. Work began on Sunday evening and is still going on as of Monday afternoon. Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL) promoters[ Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan]( were produced before a special CBI court on Monday noon and were remanded to the custody of the central agency till April 29. The CBI had arrested the Wadhawans on April 26 for their alleged involvement in the Yes Bank scam. You are receiving this email because you are a user of [thehindu.com]( If you do not wish to receive any such emails, [unsubscribe here.](mailto:rm-0b4tp5qjbf2f90kauhqqkhbysa8hkzt@newsalert.thehindu.com?subject=Unsubscribe&body=You will be unsubscribed from our mailing list.) To ensure you continue to receive emails from The Hindu in your inbox, please add newsletters.th@newsalert.thehindu.com to your contact. If you can't see the mailer, please [click here.]( Group Sites [The Hindu]( | [இந்து தமிழ் திசை]( | [Business Line]( | [BL on Campus]( | [Sportstar]( | [Frontline]( | [The Hindu Centre]( | [Images]( | [roofandfloor]( | [Classifieds]( Copyright @ 2019, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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