Despite losses, traders’ body CAIT urges Centre to extend COVID-19 lockdown

NEW DELHI: In the wake of rapidly growing threat from the coronavirus, Indian traders’ body - the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) – has urged the Centre to extend the ongoing lockdown in the country, which is set to end on April 14.

The CAIT said that on the basis of a survey conducted with senior trade leaders of all states, it has decided to urge the government to extend the lockdown period beyond April 14. 

CAIT said that though the traders will be facing several trading, economic & financial challenges yet in the interest of the country, they are well prepared to extend the best services to the nation.

“However, whatever decision the Government will take, the trading community across the country will follow the same in letter and spirit,’’ the CAIT said in a press release.

Also, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has suggested that the nationwide lockdown can be lifted in a safe and calibrated manner. 

These suggestions include the extension of cash transfers through JAM accounts, supporting the industry through banks, limiting the economic package to an additional 2% of the GDP, address issues related to health, safety, logistics, migrant workers and coordination between centre and states.

The state governments across the country are pushing the Centre for a lockdown extension in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases. Meanwhile, the states also identified coronavirus hotspots across the country on Tuesday as India's tally of the deadly virus is on a rising spiral. 

Besides identifying containment clusters, several states have also ramped their testing infrastructure and requested the Centre to extend the countrywide lockdown. 

As per government sources, the states and experts have appealed to the central government to extend the lockdown duration, but, the final decision will be taken after assessing the situation in the states. India recorded nearly 500 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday.

As on Wednesday, the total number of active COVID-19 cases stands at 4,643, with the death toll at 149, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's website. 

Meanwhile, those cured, migrated, discharged are 401. The number of novel coronavirus cases has risen by 662 in the past 24 hours with Maharashtra being the worst-affected. The state's total number of confirmed cases stands at 1,018 and death tally is at 64.

Global cases of COVID-19 are about to reach 1.5 million with death toll crossing 80,000. Wuhan, the city which was the epicentre of the pandemic, is seeing life staggering back towards normalcy as Hubei slowly lifted its 6-week lockdown.