AP Government expects liberal Central help due to financial crisis arisen from lockdown

Amaravati: The Government of Andhra Pradesh is likely to seek special package to bail out the State from financial crisis that had arisen from lockdown during the fifth videoconference Prime Minister Narendra Modi would have with all the Chief Ministers on Monday.

As it is being said that the Prime Minister would seek the opinion of Chief Ministers on whether to have a national lockdown or leave the issue to respective States, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is likely to opt for allowing the States to take a decision on whether or not to continue with the lockdown.

Another national lockdown could not only strike an irrecoverable damage to the State economy but could also make people restive.

The government feels that since many red zones have already become orange or green zones, it is high time the lockdown is lifted and normal activity following guidelines like social distancing should begin.

It is learnt that the state government may also urge the Prime Minister to increase the FRBM limit.

The Chief Minister is likely to explain the measures the government had taken to contain the pandemic and how it had become the top state in conducting tests on 1.75 lakh people.

He is also likely to tell Modi that the state would bear the transportation cost to bring Andhra people who would be returning from abroad and land at Hyderabad, Chennai and Mumbai airports.