KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken about extending the nationwide lockdown till April 30, as the next two weeks are going to be "crucial and critical" in battling the COVID-19 pandemic.
Banerjee said that West Bengal, too, is in favour of continuing the restrictions till the end of April. "The PM, during the video-conference with chief ministers, said the lockdown will be extended till April 30. We are also on the same page with the Centre. The PM also said the next two weeks are going to be very crucial and critical. We all have to be more careful and stay indoors," she told reporters here.
Banerjee said she requested the central government to ensure strict vigil in the border areas, so that no one is able to sneak in during this period. "We have sought a financial package from the PM to tackle the outbreak in the state. We asked the Centre to announce a Rs 10 lakh crore package for the states," she said.