Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday pitched for extension of the lockdown but with a carefully crafted strategy, backed by fiscal and economic empowerment of the States, to save lives and secure livelihood.
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Clearly favouring continuation of the lockdown strictly in view of the escalating cases nationwide, the Chief Minister said at the video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi that States needed to be given greater flexibility in micro-planning as part of a carefully planned exit strategy, encompassing both containment and a defined path of economic revival.
The exit strategy should consider and focus on fiscal and economic empowerment of the States, which are responsible for the real action directly impinging upon the livelihood and social health of the common man, he said. He suggested that the States should be allowed greater flexibility with MSMEs to be allowed to function in red zone districts with proper safeguards. The decision on designating the red, orange-yellow and green zones should be left to them which were more aware of the ground realities.
Captain Amarinder demanded urgent financial assistance to States to meet at least 33% of their committed liabilities along with revenue grants for three months to meet the shortfall in revenue and to fund expenditure to fight the COVID-19.
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The Chief Minister told the Prime Minister that Punjab was losing ₹3,000 crore per month in revenue (88% of the estimated revenue loss recorded in April) along with ₹30 crore daily loss for the State Power Corporation Ltd (a decline of 30%). He also reiterated his demand for immediate release of Punjab’s GST arrears of ₹4,365.37 crore.
