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Rajasthan Chief Minister Shri Ashok Gehlot gave information by 14 tweets one by one.
He requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi by tweeting that the Center should take necessary steps to strengthen the states, the situation of the states is deteriorating rapidly due to the huge decline in revenue.
The CM further wrote by tweeting that, in view of the financial situation, the Rajasthan government had to take a difficult decision to partially postpone the salary of the state workers for the month of March.
In such a situation, considering the economic situation of the states, necessary steps should be taken by the Central Government.
It is written in the letter that an economic package should be announced soon, including a grant of 1 lakh crore to all the states of the country. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recently increased the limit in Ways and Means Advance by 30 percent.
But in view of the special crisis, the State Governments should be provided with the facility of interest-free wage and means advance so that they can deal with the Kovid-19 epidemic in a more effective manner.
Referring to the suggestions given in the letter sent to the Prime Minister on 27 March, he said that the states are required by the Center to reschedule the payments of all loans of RBI and other financial institutions under the Center, which are due in the coming time. Provided moratorium of at least 3 months on interest-free basis. Also, loans should be made available for the development of the states at the level of the Government of India.
The letter wrote that in many countries like Canada, wedge subsidies have been made available. On the same lines, the government of India should also provide wage subsidy to the unorganized sector workers in view of loss of livelihood.
Welcoming the poor welfare scheme and economic package announced by the Government of India, he urged to ensure its speedy implementation in the public interest.
In order to get accurate information about the spread of COVID19, the Center has been requested to expedite the testing facility, import war-like personal protective equipment, testing kit for doctors, medical staff and distribute it based on the number of corona infected patients.
The ventilator should be properly certified and priced by the Union Government’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to facilitate the purchase of low cost effective ventilators on the market.
The central government should implement a clear and transparent inter-state supply chain protocol for movement of essential commodities. Workers from other states are stranded in various states.
Apart from this, carts and hawkers, registered construction workers and workers working in factories are not covered under the National Food Security Act. In such a situation, the system of providing food grains similar to NFSA beneficiaries should be considered.
It also urged for consideration of 21 days advance pay to laborers registered and active under MGNREGA and suggested that the advance payment could be adjusted from the work done by the workers after the commencement of work at the MNREGA site.
Thanks to the Prime Minister for strengthening the values of federalism by taking the state governments into confidence. A sense of federalism is needed to deal with the COVID19 epidemic in a coordinated and energetic manner.