Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his fourth televised address on the Covid-19 situation, had announced the special economic package, aims to empower all sections of the society hit by the Covid-19 lockdown.
News18.comKolkata
Last Updated: May 26, 2021, 12:57 PM IST
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Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee believes that the special economic package worth Rs 20 lakh core announced by the Narendra Modi-led government is “certainly not an eye-wash” and voiced hope that it will give a boost to the supply side which will drive economic recovery.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his fourth televised address on the Covid-19 situation, had announced the special economic package, aims to empower all sections of the society hit by the Covid-19 lockdown.
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Speaking exclusively to News18.com, Banerjee said, “It (economic package) is certainly not an eye-wash. It is an ambitious plan to redefine a lot of the economic rules of the game that we have operating under, and hoping that this will give a boost to the supply side which will drive economic recovery.”
He continued, “It will take some work to understand what the proposed changes exactly will be, so I will reserve my judgment on those, but I tend to believe that these supply side changes will be slow to have an impact on the earnings of the average person and therefore, the government needs to worry more about whether this will address the massive demand shortfall.”
Banerjee, is also a member of Global Advisory Board formed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, to chalk out a roadmap for Covid-19 response in the state.
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On being asked about how the poor people or migrant workers will survive in the ongoing pandemic-hit economic situation, he suggested that the government should provide some cash in hand to the needy so that, at least, they can secure their “roti, kapda and makan”.
“I still think the economy and the poor will benefit from a large-scale intervention that gives every household some cash. These people have no money and no purchasing power. They should get some cash in hands from the government to secure their roti, kapda and makan,” said Nobel laureate.
Meanwhile, when asked to respond on some states mulling the option of tweaking labour laws in India, where they might be forced to work more and paid less, he said, “There are apprehensions that this will snatch away the rights of the poor workers. Again, think of this as the first move in a longer game. The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has come out strongly against them and my guess is that they will be extensively negotiated.”
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To support the farmers, who have also been hit by the nationwide lockdown, Banerjee said that the agricultural marketing needs to be transformed in the farmers’ interest.
“I think the rural infrastructure, especially the sector relating to agricultural marketing needs to be transformed in the farmers’ interest. West Bengal, for example, suggests that the “intermediaries” hold a huge amount of market power. That said, it is not clear that now is the time to do this, when the government needs all hands on board to fight the pandemic,” he said, on being asked whether states should work more on strengthening the rural infrastructure to bring back the state’s economy on track.
Asked to share his views on pressure being faced by business firms to cope with the crisis, especially in making due payments, running the establishments and not to sack employees, Banerjee said, “The United States has had the government which essentially takeover the salary payments to redundant employees for small and medium
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enterprises. Short of doing that it may be a bit heroic to assume that the employment will be protected.”
On viability of work from home module, he said, “I have no idea. It could also mean that the US expands its service sector, taking our jobs.”
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Jaipur MP Ramcharan Bohra received a death threat on his official email, leading to his PA Arun Sharma filing a police complaint on Wednesday. The threatening email stated, “We will kill you. Delhi is still very far. Wherever we meet you on the way, we will kill you there.”
The FIR was registered at Jawahar Circle police station after Arun Sharma discovered the threatening email at 4.30 am while going through the MP’s emails. MP Bohra affirmed that the cyber cell and technical team of the police are currently investigating the matter.
Arun Sharma, the PA of Ramcharan Bohra, came across the alarming email and promptly notified the MP. Following Bohra’s instructions, Sharma took the necessary steps to report the threat to the authorities. The severity of the situation prompted the police to take immediate action in handling the case.
New Delhi, April 17 (IANS) – Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his greetings to the nation on the occasion of Ram Navami, celebrating the birth anniversary of Lord Ram after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Ayodhya is observing its first Ram Navami after the ceremony on January 22.
In a post on X, PM Modi highlighted the significance of this year’s celebration, stating, “The first Ram Navami after the Pran Pratishtha in Ayodhya is a generational milestone, weaving together centuries of devotion with a new era of hope and progress.”
He added, “May the blessings of Prabhu Shri Ram guide our paths towards righteousness and peace, illuminating our lives with wisdom and courage.” The PM expressed his belief in Lord Ram’s ideals becoming a basis for a developed India and energizing the resolve of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah also extended his wishes on the holy festival of Ram Navami, emphasizing Lord Ram’s life as a symbol of justice, social welfare, and self-respect. Amit Shah expressed pride in celebrating the Lord’s birth anniversary at his birthplace temple after 500 years.
“The Lord established the highest ideal of sacrifice for truth and religion through his life and guided the entire world for ages. I pray to God for everyone’s welfare,” Amit Shah stated on X. Ram devotees across the nation are enthusiastic about the celebrations marking this historical event at Ayodhya.
Eleven candidates from Jammu and Kashmir have qualified for the UPSC Civil Service exams this year. Aditya Srivastava from Uttar Pradesh topped the list with 1,016 candidates passing. Anmol Rathore, from Doda district, secured seventh All India Rank, also topping the JKCSE 2022. She is currently training in Jammu.
Anmol Rathore, a 24-year-old from Doda district, secured the seventh All India Rank in the UPSC exam. She had previously topped the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Service Examination in 2022 and is currently undergoing training at the Revenue Training Institute in Jammu. Rathore mentioned that she prepared for the exams on her own using online resources and believes that the youth in the region have immense potential if guided in the right direction.
Arjun Gupta from Kathua district achieved the 32nd rank in the selection list, while Manan Bhat from Srinagar district secured the 88th rank this year. Bhat had previously qualified for the civil services exam and is currently serving as an IPS officer in the Telangana cadre. Other candidates from Jammu and Kashmir who qualified include Harnit Singh Sudan, Mohammad Haris Mir, Mohammad Farhan Seh, Aparajita Aryan, Ghulam Maya Din, Suvan Sharma, Seerat Baji, and Dinesh Kumar.
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According to the UPSC notification, a total of 1,016 candidates passed the Civil Service exam this year, with Aditya Srivastava from Uttar Pradesh emerging as the topper. Anmol Rathore, hailing from Doda district, made her mark by securing the seventh All India Rank and topping the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Service Examination in 2022. Anmol attributed her success to self-preparation and online resources.