Due to prolonged lockdown, economic activity across the Tricity, including Chandigarh has come to standstill and there are multiple set of challenges before the Chandigarh Administration, the CII said on Monday.
In a statement, S P S Grewal, Chairman of CII Chandigarh UT said the challenges includes– managing the increase in Covid cases, taking care of poor who have lost their livelihood opportunities, restarting the economic momentum, supporting trade & commerce, etc.
To deal with these challenges, Grewal suggested Chandigarh Administration to create a war chest or Economic Stimulus Package to the tune of Rs 40 billion, which is about 10 per cent of Chandigarh’s GDP. This may be used in supporting the entire gamut of the economy like industries, service sector, poor and the weaker section of the society and help those in distress owing to Covid-19 lockdown.
To deal with the livelihood challenges being faced by people at the bottom of pyramid, Grewal called for special incentives comprising of monetary as well as non-monetary support to daily wage earners. He said that focus should be on the sections of the society which requires more attention of the Administration.
Grewal urged the Administration to consider providing Wage Subsidy to the extent of 50 per cent of minimum wages for all registered workers for a period of 3 months.
