Demand raised in RS to compensate workers hit by slowdown

With the outbreak of coronavirus

expected to further hit the economy, a demand to compensate workers losing jobs due to the slowdown and waiver of interest on loans of small borrowers was raised in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

The issue of impact of slowing economy on sectors such as automobiles and IT was raised through Zero Hour mentions in the House.

Jose K Mani of the KC-M said outbreak of coronavirus pandemic has added to economic woes.

Sales and production have halved, leaving no money with people to pay back loans taken on premise of an economic boom, he said, adding the government should waive off interest on loans upto Rs 10 lakh for a six-month period beginning January 2020.

 

M Shanmugam of the DMK said auto companies such as Ashok Leyland and TVS Motors have announced layoffs due to the economic slowdown.

While the government has been sympathetic to industry and has waived off their loans, the common man has not been given any benefit, he said demanding a compensation scheme to make up for loss of wages to workers hit by the economic slowdown.

Viplove Thakur of the Congress said tourism and hotel industry in Himachal Pradesh has been adversely hit by the outbreak of coronavirus.

Cancellation of bookings has led to a situation where hoteliers are on the verge of defaulting on loan repayments, she said demanding a special package for states dependent on tourism.

Manas Ranjan Bhunia (TMC) alleged that faulty socio- economic survey has deprived many a needy of benefits of government schemes and demanded a fresh survey.

Amar Patnaik (BJD) raised the issue of inadequate spending on healthcare, saying the government's allocation for the health sector was 1 per cent of the GDP in 2015 and is 1.3 per cent in 2020-21 budget.

At this pace the target of 2.5 per cent of GDP on health by 2025 is unlikely to be achieved, he said demanding raising of spending on primary and secondary health centres.

While K Ravindra Kumar (TDP) demanded central government support for metro rail projects in Amravati and Vizag in Andhra Pradesh, Vinay Dinu Tendulkar (BJP) demanded legalising traditional bull fight in Goa, known as 'Dhirio' in Konkani, on lines of similar moves in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.