Chandigarh, Mar 24 (IANS): Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday termed the 21-day nationwide lockdown announced by the Prime Minister as necessary to save millions of lives from the deadly COVID-19,

But he lamented the Centre's failure to announce an immediate relief package for the lakhs of poor and daily wagers who could not survive without government support.

Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement, the Chief Minister said it was imperative to break the coronavirus cycle, for which such extreme steps were necessary, as the analysis of several other nations had already shown.

However, it was equally important, he said, to support those left with no means to fulfill their daily basic needs.

The Chief Minister, while welcoming the Rs 15,000 allocation by the Centre to upgrade the health, medical and research facilities in the country, urged the Prime Minister to also come out with a comprehensive package immediately to ensure that the citizens of India are not deprived of basic essential services in this three-week period.

At the same time, Amarinder Singh urged the people to pledge themselves to fight the war against COVID-19 by staying at home.