The Opposition on Thursday welcomed the Centre’s move to come out with the Rs 1.70 lakh-crore financial package for several categories of citizens including farmers and daily wage earners. However, a few of them also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allocating a lesser amount of Rs 15,000 crore for tackling coronavirus when compared to a greater allocation of Rs 20,000 crore for development of Central Vista that will include construction of a new Parliament in the national Capital. They sought the diversion of the Central Vista fund to fight the pandemic.
The allocation for the Central Vista had been done on the same day when the PM had announced the countrywide lockdown.
While the Congress welcomed the financial package announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and aimed at helping the poor survive the economic distress due the Covid-19 lockdown, the Trinamool Congress said it came late and the Centre had actually taken the cue from the measures announced by the Mamata Banerjee government more than a week ago.
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said the announcements are in the right direction. "The Government announcement today of a financial assistance package is the first step in the right direction. India owes a debt to its farmers, daily wage earners, labourers, women and the elderly, who are bearing the brunt of the ongoing lockdown," he said on Twitter.
Terming the financial package as a "modest plan", Congress leader P Chidambaram contended that a lot more needed to be done. While welcoming the provision of foodgrains for the poor, the former FM claimed that there was not enough cash infusion. He observed that some sections of society had been completely left out. He noted that some of his suggestions such as help to tenant farmers, EMI deferment and GST rate cut had not been addressed. At the same time, Chidambaram called on the Centre to put forth a further plan of action very soon.
The Trinamool Congress on Thursday said the Centre's financial package announced in the wake of a countrywide lockdown to combat coronavirus has taken a "cue" from the one offered by the party-led dispensation in West Bengal.
"Centre takes cue from relief plans already rolled out by state govts like #Bengal a week ago -- free 6 months ration for the poor, health insurance for champion frontliners fighting corona and Rs 1,000 for daily wagers under new Prochesta scheme. Will supplement State efforts," tweeted TMC MP Derek O'Brien.
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said that financial package is inadequate to handle the Corona crisis, comparing the Rs 7.78 lakh crore loan waiver to big corporate houses.
He said the huge loan wavier to corporate houses shows that there is no dearth of resources in India and urged the Centre to come with more financial packages for the welfare of employees and poor people, who are financially hit due to the lockdown.
Yechury also urged the Prime Minister to immediately stop the Central Vista project and divert the Rs.20,000 crore allotted for it for the Corona relief package.
“Unconscionable that the central government finds it necessary to spend Rs.20,000 crore at this precise moment for a new house for the PM & other beautification schemes. Central Vista plan must be scrapped, earmarked funds must be transferred to tackle Corona crisis and its impact on the poor, said Yechury.
Former union minister and senior Congress Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor also appealed to the Prime Minister to divert the Rs 20,000 crore Central Vista fund to fight COVID-19. "This is merely Rs 20 crore per district. Grand spending on buildings at this time of crisis is a postponable luxury," tweeted Tharoor.