New Delhi, April 14: PM Narendra Modi started his address to the nation by praising Indians for celebrating the various festivals at home. His address comes after the 21-days nationwide lockdown which was imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus. Narendra Modi wished people on the festive occasion of Poila Boishakh, Puthandu, Bohag Bihu and Vishu today. He said, "The way people are celebrating these festivals staying at their homes is praiseworthy."

On the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti 2020, PM Narendra Modi paid his ode to Baba Saheb. He further praised India's fight against coronavirus and it is going strong. He appreciated people for coming together and staying in their homes by following the orders of the lockdown.

The total number of coronavirus cases in India crossed the 10,000 mark today. The cases have increased to 10,363 (including 8988 active cases, 1035 cured, discharged and migrated. The death toll, on the other hand, has jumped to 339, according to numbers released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday morning. PM Narendra Modi's Address to The Nation Live Streaming on DD News: Watch Prime Minister's Speech on Coronavirus Situation And Lockdown in India.

Reportedly, during the recently held video conference meeting with the Chief Minister of the States, at least 10 Chief ministers strongly felt the need for the extension of the ongoing shutdown. Some Chief Ministers also advised the Prime Minister to extend the lockdown till the end of April atleast.  Several states like Odisha, Maharashtra, West Bengal and others have already extended the lockdown till the end of April.

From Monday, all ministers and senior bureaucrats resumed working from the office, giving out a signal that the government was returning to normalcy.

The first lockdown was imposed by the Prime Minister on March 24 with the aim to contain the spread of the deadly COVID-19. He had urged people to stay in their homes and to strictly follow the lockdown to help the nation fight against the pandemic. He had said if the situation is not brought under control in the next three weeks, the country could go back 21 years and that several families would be devastated forever. 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 14, 2020 10:12 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).