Politics has taken the centre stage in Tamil Nadu as the Opposition has questioned the ruling AIADMK over the procurement of rapid test kits from China for testing the coronavirus. MK Stalin the Leader of the Opposition told a media meet on Saturday that Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami should come clean on the whole deal which is worth hundreds of crores rupees.
Saturday saw the number of persons tested for coronavirus in Tamil Nadu reaching 1,372. “Today 49 persons were tested positive making the total number of patients diagnosed with COVID-17 disease reached 1, 372,” said Dr C Vijaya Basker, Minister for Health, while briefing the media late Saturday evening.
He said the day saw 82 persons getting discharged from various hospitals in the State. “Till date 365 persons have been cured and discharged from the State’s hospitals,” said Dr Baskar. He also said that 31 laboratories were working round-the-clock for testing coronavirus.
The health minister said the State has received 36,000 rapid test kits which would help increase the number of tests a laboratory could do. The death tally in Tamil Nadu due to the pandemic remained 15 on Saturday.
The State government is expected to take a decision on Monday whether to allow some of the industrial units to open the shutters. A high power committee chaired by the State’s Finance Secretary would submit its findings and recommendations to Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami on Monday. The committee has been asked to formulate guidelines for a phased exit from the regulations imposed during COVID 19 lockdown.
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises units in Tamil Nadu (the mainstay of the State’s economy) is in doldrums because of the unexpected lockdown. “This sector should be totally exempted from repaying the loans they have availed at least for two years. We are dependent on major corporates for our survival. The three months moratorium announced by the Centre for repayment of loans is insufficient and it will not help the sector,” K V Kanakambaram, former president, Tamil Nadu Small and Tiny Industries Association (TANSTIA) told The Pioneer.
The Rs One lakh crore package announced by the RBI Governor on Friday will not help the ailing MSME sector in Tamil Nadu.
“This package is meant for Banks and other financial undertakings such as NABARD, SIDBI and public sector Banks which will be used only for re-financing by the Banks and other undertakings and the benefit will not reach directly the MSME units,” said Kanakambaran in a letter to Chief Minister Palaniswami.
He said in the letter that the loan repayment period should be extended to 60 months and the interest rate be brought down to 7 per cent. “Moreover MSME units should get all kind of loans at subsidised interest rates,” said Kanakambaran.