Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to channel National Disaster Relief Funds (NDRF) to people under home isolation.
In a video conferencing with Mr. Modi and Chief Ministers of other States against the backdrop of the COVID-19 outbreak on Friday, Mr. Vijayan requested the Centre to announce income support schemes for the aged, the poor and those working in the unorganised sector to help them tide over the current crisis caused by the pandemic.
The Centre should increase the number of days of employment under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme from 100 to 150. He requested Mr. Modi to allow Kerala to front-load the State’s market borrowing for April 2020.
He hoped the Centre would disburse during April-May 2020 at least 40 per cent of the revenue deficit grants recommended by the 15th Finance Commission. The Centre should allow Kerala to raise its borrowing rate to at least 4 per cent of the GSDP for 2020-21.
The free movement of essential commodities such as food, fuel and medicine across State borders should be enforced. The Centre should direct banks to double their micro-credit allocation at reduced interest rates.
The Chief Minister sought a special package for the hospitality sector and export industries, including an extended moratorium period on loans and interest waiver. Mr. Vijayan asked the Centre to allow more testing centres in the public and private sector.
