E-Paper
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge writes to PM Modi, offers suggestions to curb Covid-19 surge
The senior Congress leader wrote about the vaccine drive which began on May 1 for people above 18 years of age.He also emphasised on waiving off GST on life-saving products and to increase the working hours to 200 under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act of 2005.
Rajya Sabha member and leader of opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu stating his concern about the deadly second wave of coronavirus infections and urged them to convene an all-party meeting to strategically plan how to curb the rapid spread of the virus.
“Parliament had allocated Rs. 35000 crore in the Union Budget to ensure free vaccine for all, despite which the Union government has allowed private companies to set differential prices for the vaccine,” wrote Kharge in his letter to the Prime Minister. He further emphasised on waiving off GST on life saving products and to increase the working hours to 200 under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act of 2005.
The senior Congress leader wrote about the vaccine drive which began on May 1 for people above 18 years of age. “The Union government must leverage compulsory licensing to increase production of vaccines,” he wrote in his letter. He requested the Union government to “proactively disburse relief material, allocate it fairly to all states and disclose the when and where of the shipped material.” He urged the Prime Minister to leverage collective strengths by governing inclusively.
Kharge’s letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu focussed on “bringing to the notice of the Chairman the 123rd Report of the Department Related Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare, which made vital recommendations vis-à-vis coping with the Covid-19 pandemic,” and requested him to take cognisance of the report and secure the action taken report on it as deemed fit. He urged him to convene virtual meetings of the Standing Committees as they would ensure accountability, and allow all stakeholders to collectively explore solutions.
