At corporate India’s behest, Modi government lets pandemic run rampant
The COVID-19 pandemic is now spreading across India like wildfire, threatening a human catastrophe of biblical or, to be more precise, 21st century capitalist proportions.
Yesterday, Indian health authorities reported 259,170 new infections, only marginally lower than Saturday’s record tally of 273,802. India’s daily count of new COVID-19 cases has exceeded 200,000 every day since April 15. That is for six straight days.
Daily COVID-19 fatalities have been increasing by more than 1,000 a day since April 14 although numerous reports suggest that this is a gross undercount. Yesterday’s daily COVID-19 death toll set a new record: 1,761 deaths were officially attributed to the virus, bringing the total to more than 182,000.
Updated Apr 19, 2021 | 08:19 IST
FM Sitharaman has made it clear that there is no plan to impose a countrywide lockdown, emphasising that the Centre will concentrate on creating small containment zones to curb the spread of the virus. No plan to impose nationwide lockdown, says FM Sitharaman. (File photo) | Photo Credit: BCCL
New Delhi: Amid a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in India, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has made it clear that there is no plan to impose a countrywide lockdown, emphasising that the Centre will concentrate on creating small containment zones to curb the spread of the deadly virus. It is worth mentioning here that the daily positivity rate in the last 12 days doubled to 16.7 per cent from 8 per cent. On Sunday, India added a record 2,61,500 new coronavirus infections.
Synopsis
Unlike last year, the government says this time it aims to adopt a strategy of creating small containment zones to control the spread of the virus.
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FISME is to hold discussions with member associations on Wednesday. Following which, it aims to appraise the government on specific issues facing the sector.
As pandemic wreaks havoc across small businesses, representatives of the MSME sector have reached out to the government, seeking definite words of assurance on their key challenges.
The country s MSMEs are of the view that some clarity on specific issues will help the sector avoid the panic situation faced during the initial days of lockdown-1 announced last year when the country saw a migrant exodus, coupled with soaring financial hardships of small businesses.
No plan for national lockdown, says Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman indiatimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from indiatimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Garment Manufacturers Distraught Over Local Employment Law In Haryana, Asks For Exemption
A garment factory. (Manjunath Kiran/AFP via Getty Images)
Garments Exporters and Manufacturers Association (GEMA), Haryana has expressed discontent over the new law guaranteeing 75 per cent jobs in the private sector to the local population as
The Hindu.
A survey by GEMA among its members has found out that more than 82 per cent may not consider Haryana for expansion in case the new law is not taken back or the industry is not exempted from its stipulations.
It also found that none of the major employers, who employ more than 3,000 people, believe that they would be able to source local workforce only from the State. The survey also revealed that the majority of manufacturers have less than 20 per cent employees based in Haryana.