For the first time during the coronavirus crisis, the Congress on Thursday actually came out with its own suggestive remedial measures in view of the pandemic with party president Sonia Gandhi writing in detail to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard.
The Congress, especially its leader Rahul Gandhi has been strongly criticising the Modi Government for not “doing enough” and being “in slumber” to tackle the deadly disease.
Sonia said that the lockdown is a "welcome step" even as she suggested that health and economic measures should be taken to flight coronavirus.
"As president of the Congress, I would like to state that we will support and collaborate fully with every step taking by the Union Government to ensure the containment of the pandemic," Sonia Gandhi wrote in the four-page letter to Modi.
"At this challenging and uncertain time, it is imperative for each one of us to rise above partisan interests and honour one's duty towards our country and indeed, towards humanity," said Sonia.
The Congress chief also gave a eight-point suggestions which included a deman for a dedicated Web portal with information about designated hospitals and construction of intensive care units and ventilators.
She also requested the Prime Minister to put in place broad based social protection measures, including direct cash transfer, for daily wagers, MGNREGA workers, factory labour, construction and unorganised workers, fishermen, farm labourers and other vulnerable sections of the society.
Sonia Gandhi suggested that the centre should consider deferring all EMI payments for the next few months and also waive interests charged by banks for this period.
She added that the government should immediately put in place several social protection measures which should include direct cash transfers to daily wage workers, MNREGA workers, construction workers, farmers and others part of the informal sector. The Congress President recommended her party's NYAY scheme for minimum income support, she called it "the need of the hour". She said that the implementation of the scheme will provide the poor with basic economic resources to fall back on.