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PM-CMs video conference: Captain Amarinder Singh for continuation of lockdown, with exit plan
At a video conference of chief ministers with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amarinder said the states needed to be given greater flexibility in micro-planning as part of an exit strategy in view the increasing Covid-19 cases across the country
Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday pitched for extension of the ongoing lockdown, but with a carefully crafted strategy for fiscal and economic empowerment of the states.
At a video conference of chief ministers with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amarinder said the states needed to be given greater flexibility in micro-planning as part of an exit strategy in view the increasing Covid-19 cases across the country.
“The exit strategy should consider and focus on fiscal and economic empowerment of the states, which are responsible for the real action directly affecting livelihood of the common man. Micro, small and medium enterprises (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 the states,” the Punjab CM said.
Amarinder demanded immediate financial assistance to the 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 on Covid-19.
He also called for a national strategy on testing for making the battle against Covid-19 more effective, pointing out that he had also written to the PM to direct central institutions in Chandigarh and Punjab to increase their testing capacity.
Punjab has so far carried out 40,962 tests with current daily testing rate at 2,500, which the state government is planning to scale up to 6,000 a day by end of the month, he informed.
Pointing out that the state has procured 115 lakh metric tonnes wheat, adhering to the Covid protocols, Amarinder requested for an early declaration of minimum support price (MSP) for paddy and a bonus on non-burning of stubble.
Besides, he informed Modi that Punjab was losing ₹3,000 crore every month in revenue. The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) was facing a loss of ₹30 crore daily, he claimed.
He reiterated his demand for immediate release of the state’s Goods and Service Tax (GST) arrears of ₹4,365.37 crore.
He said around 56,000 persons from Punjab stranded in other states had registered on the government portal.
As many as 11.50 lakh migrants in Punjab have registered for moving to their home states, mainly UP, Bihar and Jharkhand, with 50 trains carrying migrants having already left, he added.
