Emphasising that COVID-19 battle is fought by the states in the true sense, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said the suggestions made by him during video-conferencing with the prime minister on lockdown and planning for the pandemic were not accepted.
The Centre should come forward to help the states, Gehlot said in a conversation with Prabhu Chawla, Editorial Director, The New Indian Express on TNIE’s Expressions, a series of live webcasts with people who matter.
Did PM accept CMs’ suggestions during his interaction?
I gave some simple suggestions (to the PM) but he did not accept. The COVID-19 battle is fought by the states and the Centre is only guiding.
The Rs 20,000 crore package is of no use till states get direct money as their revenue has come down to 30 per cent.
The Centre must release Rs 1 lakh crore grants in total to all states to fight COVID-19. Both states and Centre must join hands together to defeat the pandemic.
How has Covid-19 impacted development?
Rajasthan suffered a revenue loss of Rs 11,000 crore in April alone. Revenue was going down even before COVID-19 owing to global economic slowdown.
We are worried as to how we will meet our budgetary targets. The Centre should help as they have the RBI and control currency printing. It will take a minimum of six months before revenue generation starts as the industry has just opened.
The Centre should come forward and help the states and provide the money.
What should have the PM done to revive the MSME sector?
The PM should have waived off farmers’ loan and interest on pending loans on MSMEsshould also have been waived off to give a push to the sector. Also, interest on new loans should have been reduced.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has written to PM suggesting some measures?
The Prime Minister should respond to the suggestions made by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and other opposition parties.
The Centre should patiently listen to the opposition and avoid politicising the matter like it happened on the running of Shramik trains and transporting migrants by buses.
The Prime Minister should also come forward and share the government’s future strategy to handle the crisis due to COVID-19 and lockdown.
We want to know what the Centre wants to do in future and the PM should come forward and tell us the plans.
There has been politics over the migrant crisis?
Rajasthan has spent 25.25 crore on trains and buses to ferry migrants and 13 lakh workers have returned to the state while 6.15 lakh left.
Has Congress failed to play the role of a strong opposition?
The party is united under the Gandhi Parivar and has been playing the role of the leading opposition party. I believe that the future of the party is bright under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership and there is a good understanding between everyone in the party and all are performing their duties.