With majority of the people caught between poverty and the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centre should immediately come up with an interim budget to mitigate the crisis, Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) has said.
“The first financial package, which is just 1% of the national revenue, is not at all sufficient for the existing needs. The second package is yet to come. The country needs to earmark at least 10% of the national income for the COVID-19-related measures. The Union government is not only denying States their eligible share of funds, but also pushing the disease burden on their shoulders. The Centre is yet to pay ₹3,000 crore GST dues to the State,” KSSP president A.P. Muraleedharan said.
The Centre had the responsibility to ensure relief measures and income for the people before it declared the lockdown. ‘‘We have seen the impact of the lockdown for lakhs of migrant people, who were stranded at various States without jobs or income. The Centre just ignored their issues. The Union government should pay the States, the amount they have utilised for the migrant workers,’’ he said.
“The country is facing a war-like situation. So the States should be allowed to take loans from the Reserve Bank India (RBI) to fulfil essential needs. The Centre should collect fund from big industries, both private and public. Their contribution should not be limited to CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) funds. Permission should be given to donate CSR funds to the State distress relief funds” said KSSP general secretary K. Radhan.
