VIJAYAWADA: Stating that the Financial Package announced by the Centre to revive the economy from the impact of COVID-19 did not address the problems of education sector, former MP Dr KVP Ramachandra Rao on Thursday asked the Centre to assess the pandemic effect on education sector and extend assistance to it.
In a letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the former MP said the pandemic shattered the economies of all the countries. “The Centre has taken several measures to lessen the catastrophic impact of COVID-19 on several sectors by announcing a financial package. I hope the government takes utmost care in implementation of the package so that the benefit reaches the targeted beneficiaries up to the grassroots level,’’ he said.
Urging the Centre to assess the pandemic effect on the education sector, the former MP wanted the Centre to consider his suggestions, which include liberal financing (susidised loans) by the banks and financial institutions to the educational institutions at low interest rate, by treating education as a ‘priority sector’. He wanted suitable instructions to be given to banks to allow the educational institutions to defer the existing loan repayments by declaring moratorium or holiday period by one or two years, without charging any overdue interest or penalty for the moratorium period.
Further, the MP wanted provision for ‘liberalised soft loons’ to the existing private technical institutions to enable them to introduce compatible courses in emerging areas, online education, digital class rooms, expansion of infrastructure to maintain social distance in infrastructure facilities to protect the health and hygienic conditions in hostels, school buses, canteens libraries and laboratories.
He also wanted the Centre to ensure the survival and sustainability of educational institutions, working capital limits as over drafts may be extended to meet the operational and administrative expenses including staff salaries for about six months. He also demanded exemptions from GST for services related to construction, online education, food & transport at least for period of 2-3 years.