Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday called for providing immediate cash to the poor, while accusing the government of adopting a miserly and negligent approach towards the deprived during the lockdown.
“With unemployment at 23 per cent (CMIE) and a freeze on daily wages/incomes, the government must immediately find the resources and remonetise (give cash to) the poor,” he said in a series of tweets. “The miserly and cruelly negligent approach of the government has compounded the hardships of the poor,” he charged.
With unemployment at 23 per cent (CMIE) and a freeze on daily wages/incomes, the government must immediately find the resources and remonetise (give cash to) the poor.
The miserly and cruelly negligent approach of the government has compounded the hardships of the poor.
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 8, 2020
Chidambaram said he was among the first to advocate a lockdown, and welcomed the central government consulting the states on whether the lockdown should be lifted after April 14. However, the answer to that question cannot be based on personal or sectoral interests, he said.
“The answer must be determined solely by two numbers – the absolute increase in positive cases every day and the rate of increase.
“As of today, both numbers point to adopting a cautious and conservative approach,” he said.
Chidambaram pointed out that what is missing in the lockdown strategy is putting cash in the hands of poor people. There are several sections of the poor who have not received a single rupee from the government, he said.
The answer to that question cannot be based on personal or sectoral interests. The answer must be determined solely by two numbers — the absolute increase in positive cases every day and the rate of increase.
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 8, 2020
Chidambaram’s suggestions come as a report by International Labour Organisation said, about 400 million people working in the informal economy in India are at risk of falling deeper into poverty due to the coronavirus crisis which is having “catastrophic consequences”, and is expected to wipe out 195 million full-time jobs or 6.7 per cent of working hours globally in the second quarter of this year.