Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said he has informed the Center that a partial lockdown could be continued till May 15 to counter COVID 19 in Kerala. Further action may be taken to look into the situation on May 15.
The Union Home Minister had earlier demanded that Kerala address its key demands. The Chief Minister said that the Prime Minister and the Home Minister were informed on Sunday.
Kerala has also demanded that international and inter-state trips be regulated till May 15. The demand for the P.P.E kit has been on the rise and the Center has been asked to take on the responsibility of mobilizing the supplies needed for COVID defense.
The Chief Minister has requested the Prime Minister to pay for the airfare of expatriates, low income, jailed, part-time students, unemployed, and labor camps. The central government should immediately announce the rehabilitation package for those who have lost their jobs due to lockdown. Plans must be devised to make use of their skills. The chief minister said that the prime minister should be given priority in bringing back those who have gone for short term visits, those who are not fulfilling their living needs, and those who need medical help.
It is estimated that there are about four lakh guest workers in Kerala at present. There was a demand for non-stop trains to take them back in stages. The Center should pay immediate attention to Malayalee health workers and nurses working in other states. They should be provided with clean Quarantine facilities. The issues of nurses from Kerala have been addressed to the Chief Ministers of the respective States. The state’s interest is in the Prime Minister’s swift intervention.
The focus should be placed on mitigating the economic impact of the lockdown. According to the available data, experts estimate that the total value addition of Kerala in the first quarter of the financial year 2020-21 was Rs. 80,000 crore. If the situation does not improve, the losses will still increase. The total loss of wages for casual workers is around Rs 14,000 crore during the lockdown period. The hotel and restaurant sectors lost Rs 6,000 crore and Rs 14,000 crore, respectively. The fisheries and information technology sectors are some of the areas that have suffered significant job losses.
The lockdown has been very adversely affecting small traders. Their incomes have plunged them into a deeper financial crisis. The vast majority are self-employed. Special consideration should be given to small traders. The central government should support them through a package under the National Disaster Relief Fund. The National Income Assistance Scheme should be implemented for the survival of the workers in the unorganized sector. Small businessmen affected by lockdown should get loans of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. The interest of this loan should be borne by the Center as a relief measure. The CM also appealed to the Prime Minister to provide the necessary subsidy for employment.
Lockdown measures have resulted in large-scale losses for small businesses. Fifty percent interest concession for existing loans. Action should be taken to pay ESI wages to the workers of small enterprises. The ceiling on the contribution to the EPF should be increased from 15,000 to twenty-five thousand. The Chief Minister said that the Center wanted to ensure that there was an adequate supply of food grains and pulses to the states.
