Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that state governments should be given the power to decide on conducting economic activities within their state as they battle the coronavirus pandemic.
Similarly, the state governments should be allowed to designate the Red, Orange and Green zones to designate the spread and severity of Covid-19.
Speaking during a video conferencing with Modi, the Chief Minister gave various suggestions regarding prevention of coronavirus, conducting economic activities in states and providing employment to labourers and villagers.
Baghel said the current situation will change with the resumption of rail services. But regular train and air services and inter-state bus transport should be started in consultation with the states.
He suggested allowing expenditure of SDMRC budget for transportation of workers. Chief Ministers of other states were present in the video conferencing.
Baghel pointed out that economic activities have been affected in the state due to the pandemic and lockdown, resulting in loss of revenue. The economically weaker sections were the most affected.
The Chief Minister urged the Prime Minister to keep the state's fiscal deficit as an exception this year at 5 per cent of GSDP and relax the borrowing limit to 6 per cent of GSDP.
He demanded assistance of Rs 30,000 crore to Chhattisgarh. He said that money donated to the Prime Minister's Care Fund by industrial institutions of the state as CSR should be transferred to Chhattisgarh.
Stating that the FCI has taken 24 lakh metric tons of rice from the state, Baghel asked Modi that this should be increased to 31.11 lakh metric tons.
He underlined the inclusion of employees of Police, Municipal Corporation, District Administration and other departments in the PM Garib Kalyan Package on the lines of health workers.
The Chief Minister wanted employment under MNREGA to double to 200 days. This will provide work in the villages itself in May and June.
In addition to ICMR's Guidelines for Testing corona infection, he requested more guidelines.