Woah, is lockdown in cards for India again?
No no, looks like the Ludo and Dalgona coffee days are finally behind us, for good. Hear from Hardeep Singh Puri himself.
Hardeep Singh Puri Denies Lockdown Rumours In India
Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister for the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, has confirmed that there is no nationwide lockdown plan, quashing the sign of a national COVID-19 shutdown (yet again).
This comes after much speculation regarding the possibility of a potential shutting down in the whole country.
Hardeep Singh Puri stated via social media that they are currently monitoring global events and protecting the continued sustainability of essential services in India by conducting real-time tracking of energy markets, supply chains, and essential commodities to ensure that people have ongoing access to both fuel and other resources.
“Rumours of a lockdown in India are completely false. Let me state this clearly, there is no such proposal under consideration by the Government of India,” he added and requested that the public remain calm and not share unconfirmed information.
Well well, this ought to put a lot of speculation and anxiety to rest for now.
Narendra Modi’s Preparedness Remarks Explained
The speculation about an impending lockdown in India was precipitated by the increasing geopolitical tensions in West Asia and the effects that they will have on the global supply of oil and gas. The conversation was propelled forward with respect to public statements by the Indian Parliament about concerns arising out of disruptions in energy availability, specifically with regard to LPG and fuel.
“As we can see, the situation regarding this war is changing moment by moment. Therefore, I would also say to my fellow citizens that we must be prepared for every challenge,” the Prime Minister said, adding that the government remains “alert, ready, and working with full seriousness on strategy.”
The clarification has been released by the official now that the Prime Minister’s address did not establish ‘lockdown’ as policy, but rather limited his comments specifically to preparedness and planning for the long-term.
Government Monitoring Fuel, LPG And Supply Chains
The Centre’s official declaration indicates an increased and coordinated monitoring effort of sectors that could be affected by global developments, e.g., fuel supplies, fertilizers, logistics networks, and essential commodities. Ongoing and continued close scrutiny of the availability and trend of prices will allow authorities to ensure that any disruption caused by a global event does not interfere with our citizens.
The government continues to state that it is taking coordinated actions to secure the supply chain and provide continued access to essential services. Reviewing inventory position and working with state governments and ensuring that all critical infrastructure is functioning properly will assist to maintain continuity.
Accordingly, India has consistently shown that it has the capacity for resilience against global uncertainty, and we have developed the means by which we can be proactive about addressing emerging and future challenges.
PM Modi To Meet Chief Ministers On Crisis Readiness
The Government of India is conducting high-level consultations to coordinate its response to the crisis through a series of meetings with the Prime Minister and the Chief Ministers of each state, to assess existing preparedness levels and develop an integrated strategy for the entire nation.
The focus of these meetings will be on ensuring improved administrative readiness and establishing effective lines of communication between the Government at the Centre of India and all States.
Recently, there was also an all-party meeting at the Parliament House Complex in New Delhi that was hosted by the Honourable Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and attended by senior officials including Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Minister of Petroleum Hardeep Singh Puri, and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju; at this meeting the representatives of all parties assessed the geopolitical risks posed by the situation in West Asia and assessed their existing preparedness measures across the various sectors, with the overall objective of developing strategies to respond to the current crisis.
Seven Empowered Groups Formed To Manage Key Sectors
The Prime Minister indicated that the Government of India has created seven Empowered Groups to provide assistance in the key areas adversely affected by the global events. Each of these Empowered Groups is to develop strategies to address the effects of the following areas; fuel; supply chain logistics; fertiliser; and several other strategic areas.
The primary objective of developing these Empowered Groups is to reduce the negative economic and logistical impact on the daily lives of citizens in India as a result of the global events while simultaneously assuring the continued availability of essential goods and services.
So yes, the Government of India has not issued any formal discussions or statements regarding potential lockdowns, nor has the term “lockdown” been included in any recent policy or indirect Government communications released to date.
Therefore, it is certain that current speculations regarding lockdowns are not based on any formal decision or action issued by the Government.
Chup chaap kaam par jaaiye, corporate majdoor ji 🙂