"There are some good practices in our villages and one of them is drinking 'kadha'. Another is doing 'pranayam'. I suggest you do this. They are not cures for any disease but ways to boost your immunity that will help you fight diseases," Modi said during his videoconference meeting with select sarpanchs from across India on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day.

 

He added: "We are trying very seriously that the poor in the villages get the best healthcare; efforts are being made for this. the Ayushman Bharat Yojana has also emerged as a big relief for the poor in the villages."

 

Misinformation and myths are two aspects that are crucial to clear in this fight against coronavirus, said Modi and appealed to all sarpanchs across India to keep villagers fed with the right and proper information.

 

The appeal assumes significance in the light of spread of misinformation on the disease through the social media.

 

The Prime Minister urged the village heads to proactively request villagers to download the Aarogya Setu mobile application that, the PM claimed, will go a long way in working as "bodyguard".

 

Though the event was to mark the Panchayati Raj Day, both Modi and the panchayat heads who interacted with him ended up talking about the lockdown, preparedness for it and their endeavour to ensure social distancing.

 

During a chat with one of the sarpanchs, Modi said: "You have to remember that coronavirus doesn't come to your house uninvited. You bring it home."

 

During his interaction with a sarpanch from Assam, the Prime Minister equired whether the villagers were unhappy due to the lockdown that prevented Bihu celebrations.

 

He started his chat with one Iqbal from Jammu and Kashmir and later spoke to sarpanchs from Punjab, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh etc.

 

With Union Panchayati Raj Minister Narendra Singh Tomar by his side, Modi launched a unified e-GramSwaraj portal and a mobile app as well as Swamitva Scheme, that is intended to clear property disputes by mapping through drones.

 

However, it was the COVID-19 outbreak that dominated the discourse throughout.

 

Both Modi and Tomar were seen wearing face masks and Modi reiterated the need to use these while maintaining social distancing.

 

Hailing the role of villagers in maintaining social distancing, he claimed Indians faced difficulties but had resolved to observe the lockdown strictly. He repeatedly used the phrase "do gaj ki doori," to bring home the urgent need to maintain social distancing.