Mamata Banerjee has asked Prime Minister Narendra Mori to earmark 6 per cent of India’s Gross Domestic Product for the country’s war against corona.
The Bengal Chief Minister who attended the Prime Minister’s video conference with other Chief Ministers has also asked the Centre to device a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)-like mechanism where tax benefit is provided to those who donate in the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.
The CSR benefit scheme should also be extended to those who donate in the Chief Minister’s relief Fund, Banerjee is known to have told the Prime Minister besides demanding special packages for the workers of unorganised sector as also the moribund medium, small-scale and tourism industries which were suffering because of the lockdown, sources said.
“When the Prime Minister suggested an extension of lockdown because the next two weeks are very crucial and critical I told that we have no reason to oppose the proposal as we are fighting a common war against the Corona… but at the same time we have requested him to see the humanitarian side of it,” Banerjee said adding Bengal too will extend its lockdown till April 30.
The Chief Minister told in the meeting that workers coming under the 100-days’-work-scheme should be paid two months’ wages. Besides, a composite management of the migrant workers stuck in different states should be prepared she said.
“I have also asked for a complete suspension of international flights and long-distance trains, apart from sealing of the borders … Bengal is a crucial for its location. If our border is not sealed and if Bengal gets largely affected then the disease can spread to the North East from here,” she maintained.
Apart from the general lockdown all schools and colleges of the State will remain closed till June 10, the Banerjee said. “This we will do considering the approaching summer vacations… instead of opening the schools for a few days we will let the educational institutions be closed till June 10 … with a provisions that online classes will be held during this period,” she said.
Meanwhile, amid claims made by the BJP that the State Government was not sharing the real facts regarding corona infections the Chief Minister said that Bengal had recorded six new infections in the past 24 hours taking the total number of cases to 95. Out of these 95 affected patients 70 belonged to 16 families, she maintained dismissing the BJP’s allegations.
A delegation of the saffron outfit on Saturday met Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar with complaints of irregular distribution of relief and suppression of facts regarding the number of infections in the State.
“According to the number given by the central government the total number of corona cases is 116 whereas this Government is bringing it down to 95,” said State BJP president Dilip Ghosh while another senior leader Rahul Sinha said that the State was not giving the rice, dal and other relief items provided by the Centre.
Bengal Government has requisitioned kits for “rapid tests which will help us to identify the areas,” better the Chief Minister said.