NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said timely actions to curb the Covid-19 pandemic proved alarming prophecies of experts wrong.
Interacting with the representatives of social service organisations from his constituency Varanasi through video conference, the PM hailed the success of the Uttar Pradesh government in containing the Covid-19.
He said Brazil has the same population size as UP, but the state has reported about 800 deaths in sharp contrast to the South American country that has recorded over 65,000 fatalities.
“There were many apprehensions about the impact of the pandemic in a state like Uttar Pradesh, with experts making comparison with similar outbreak of infectious disease about 100 years ago. The state has not only mitigated the impact of the pandemic, but a substantial chunk of the infected patients have recovered,” said Modi.
“It’s a matter of great satisfaction that the state administration exhausted all transportation capacities with the people rushing out to help the needy, and the vans of the postal department had to be roped in for the relief works,” said the prime minister.
Seven representatives of the social and spiritual organisations shared their experiences of providing relief to the people affected by the Covid-19 and lockdown with the PM, with a few of them stating that they have begun mobilising people to produce goods in response to the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign.
Modi said he had been in touch with the people in his constituency throughout the different phases of lockdown.
“Varanasi will see the transformation in the coming times to emerge as an export hub of the country, while scaling up the works in the traditional handicrafts, beekeeping, fisheries and others. There are projects worth more than `8,000 crore being implemented currently,” the PM said.