Odisha CM urges PM Modi for national SOP to reboot economy

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring a national standard operating procedure (SOP) to reboot the economic activities in the country post-COVID-19 lockdown.

"To reboot the economic activities, the Union Government may come up with a national standard operating procedure (SOP). Our production lines are interlinked so also our value addition process, cuttingacross state boundaries. A national SOP will guide in a unified response in rebooting the economy," said Patnaik during a video conference with Prime Minister Modi on Monday.

As regards the lockdown and other regulations, he said that there should be broad principles at the national level and the local administration will be allowed to decentralise those principles for better implementation.

"The Union Government may modify existing schemes to incentivise and actively involve the Panchayat Raj institutions in COVID management. As the fight is going to be long, it is important that we involve panchayats for a system based response," he said.

The Chief Minister further suggested that smaller, scientific unit can replace district as the unit for zoning (Green, Orange and Red areas), and allow local administration to determine regarding the area of zoning.

As the Centre is all set to resume operation of passenger trains from May 12, he opined that Railway movements may be regulated in consultation with states as being done for the stranded persons.

( With inputs from ANI )