BJP MP G.V.L. Narasimha Rao said that the Centre’s first priority will be to provide ration and financial aid to around 80 crore citizens affected by the lockdown, and will extend necessary support to State Governments after overcoming the COVID-19 crisis.

“For now, the Centre has considered it appropriate to give relief to people directly instead of paying the State Governments keeping in view the possibility of diversion of funds at this critical juncture. Nevertheless, the Centre will do its best to help the States tide over the crisis,” he said.

“The impact of the lockdown on the economy, which was already in a slowdown, will be severe and the ramifications of this will be felt for many more months to come as the restrictions are likely to be eased gradually than in one go,” Mr. Narasimha Rao told mediapersons in a video-conference.

“The pandemic has dealt a severe blow to western countries, while India has managed to contain its fallout by controlling the spread of virus to a large extent,” the MP said, adding that a new ‘global order’ was in the offing.

“The lockdown had to be imposed overnight as the threat was very serious. The Centre could not afford to waste time as the reach of the virus and its behaviour were unpredictable,” he said.

Regarding the economic paralysis that many States find themselves in due to the pandemic, Mr. Narasimha Rao said that the Centre would certainly come to their rescue and see that justice was done to each one of them, including Andhra Pradesh, which was already mired in financial difficulties post bifurcation.

“The Centre took note of the difficulties being faced by the States including A.P. It will do its best to bail them out from the crisis,” Mr. Rao said, adding that the BJP leaders from its national president J.P. Nadda down to the grassroots activists were working full time to help in warding off the threat.