Congress Party briefing by @AnandSharmaINC, Senior Spokesperson, AICC :
- It’s been 20 days of lockdown in India. India & the world are deeply affected by this infection. This has also caused the economy to collapse. This crisis has brought many challenges to the already weak Indian economy. Hence, there is a need to have a strategy.
- There are talks of removing the lockdown in three steps. Some economic activities to be started in the first phase where there are a large number of daily wage labourers. MSMEs need to be revived.
- There needs to be a policy for the production of daily use goods. If the goods are not manufactured, how will there be daily supplies? With this, the problem of transportation will also have to be resolved. Also, MSMEs will have to be offered zero interest loans.
- It is the time for the harvest of wheat and mustard crops. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that farmers’ crops are sold and for this it is necessary to have decentralisation.
- States should be provided resources. GST refunds have not yet been given and MGNREGA salaries have not been paid. This needs attention. Part-2 of the economic package really needs to be announced.
- The ILO report estimates that 40 crore workers in India will fall below the poverty line. We need to act upon it so that this situation can be avoided. Extraordinary decisions are needed in extraordinary times.
- The Central government should not discriminate against states. PMNRF already exists and there’s also the CM relief fund. The decision to make PM CARES is wrong. Its money should be transferred to PMNRF, which is audited by CAG.
- Also, it is discriminatory not to consider donations given to CM Relief Fund as CSR. This should not happen