The Odisha CM raised several critical issues during the video conferencing with PM Modi and other CMs. Given below are the points that Naveen Patnaik suggested in the Coronavirus meeting:
-1st suggestion: the Union Government to come up with a National Standard Operating Procedure for rebooting economic activities as Odisha’s production lines & value addition processes are cutting across state boundaries. He further stressed on the fact that national SOP will guide a unified response for rebooting economy.
-2nd suggestion: the Union Government might modify existing schemes to incentivise & actively involve Panchayat Raj institutions in COVID-19 management. As the fight is going to be long, all the government bodies must involve Panchayats for a system based response.
-3rd suggestion: Regarding the lockdown and other regulations, the head of the states should have broad principles at the national level and allow decentralised implementation. He further stated that a smaller, scientific unit can replace the district as a unit for zoning and that the CMs should allow local administration to decide this area.
-4th suggestion: The other states to share the manifest of travelling passengers before they are sent to Odisha. Rail movements may be regulated in consultation with States as being done for stranded persons. Apart from Patnaik, Chief Ministers of some other States also demanded that regular train, air travel, & inter-state bus services should resume after consulting State governments.