Modi pitches for self-reliant India, announces 20 lakh crore stimulus; lockdown 4.0 in new colours

Modi said the package targetted for all sections of the society will focus on land, labour, liquidity and law.

"The package will be for all farmers as well as middle class people who pay income tax with honesty," said the PM though the details of the package will be disclosed by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in coming days.

Earlier immediately after the commencement of the anti-Covid lockdown 1.0, Sitharaman along with her junior minister Anurag Thakur had unveiled a mega Rs. 1,70,000 crore for poor including the health workers who are coined as "frontline warriors".

During his little longer than 30-minute address to the nation of 1.3 billion people, Modi preceded his announcement of the economic package by sharing his thought on how the country has grown into a self-reliant one- local production- battling the pandemic virus which has claimed over 2000 lives across 36 states and union territories.

Modi said, "The situation in the world teaches us that the only path is- a self-reliant India," and added, "2 lakh PPE and 2 lakh N95 masks are being manufactured today now while we had almost no such production when it [coronavirus] struck."

Reminding people about the contribution of local markets in providing necessary items during the lockdown, Modi appealed to the nation to support the locals resonating the words of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi who had boycotted the foreign goods during the country's struggle for Independence.

Modi, the most popular leader of India, supported the locals saying, "At this hour of crisis, only local markets met our requirements. Times has taught that we will have think for locals."

"The global brands were also locals once but later became global. So all countrymen will have to be vocal for local," he said.

"Not only people should buy local products but also campaign for it," the PM added.

Not spilling the beans about how the lockdown 4.0 would shape, Modi has hinted the country will have to live with the contagion with no vaccine or cure yet for longer times.

"All scientists are saying Coronavirus will remain in our lives for a longer time. But we will have to transcend. We will wear masks and maintain social distancing but also we will have to achieve our targets," said Modi.

"All details about lockdown 4.0 will be given before May 18," said the PM who held a marathon around six-hour long meeting with all Chief Ministers a day ago.

India went into the lockdown mode first on Mar 24 midnight when Modi had announced a 21-day shutdown which was later extended twice till May 17. 

Opposition reacts

Pawan Khera, leader of the country's main opposition party Congress, told IBNS, "The country is still reeling from the images that we have seen over the last few weeks of workers having to walk hundreds and thousands of kilometers, going empty stomach.

All this talk is fine. Rahul Gandhi has already demanded Rs. 7,500 in their accounts, direct cash-benefit because right now what they (workers) need is immediate relief and not the promises of Rs. 20 lakh crore and stimulus. We don't know the contours of this so-called stimulus. Lets wait for that. We don't want to comment on something which is not there yet." 

Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien slammed the Centre in his reaction to Modi's address and said, "We saw the box today. We saw the wrapping paper today but what's in the product? We don't know. For that we have to open the package tomorrow or day after. He (Narendra Modi) said 20 lakh crores, 10 per cent of GDP but little asterisk saying some conditions apply because we saw no details. Is it really that much?..."

Taking a jibe at Modi, former CPI-M Lok Sabha MP Md. Salim tweeted, "Yes. @narendramodi is busy in making the image of Self and Reliance in #NewIndia Self-reliance India is shelved."