Rickshaw pullers wait for customers on the Mahatma Gandhi Road in Ranchi on Tuesday
RANCHI: With the second week of the Swasthya Suraksha Saptah (health safety week) involving several curbs on citizens nearing an end on May 6, various trade bodies and other associations have demanded further extension of the restrictions to slow down the Covid pandemic.
It may be stated here that the state government had enforced the health safety week on April 22 and extended it further by a week on April 29. Meanwhile, the infection rate, which was at 13% on April 21, rose to 15% on May 3.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren had recently said that the daily spike in cases has stabilised while the number of recovery has improved significantly. Speaking on the issue, Federation of Jharkhand Chambers of Commerce and Industries president Pravin Jain Chhabra said that the prevailing restrictions should be extended by at least a week again.
Ranchi: The Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FJCCI) has allowed its affiliated associations to keep their respective businesses shut for a few days to contain the virus spread. FJCCI and its affiliated organisations recently held a meeting to discuss measures to break the transmission chain where it was decided that businesses can go for a “self-imposed mini-lockdown”.
FJCCI president Pravin Jain Chhabra said, “During the meeting, we gave a free hand to the associations representing different sectors of the economy for imposing restrictions for a few days and some of them are even considering going for it. Even small efforts to break the virus chain are welcome.”
RANCHI: Representatives of trade and industry bodies in the state said they are hopeful of a much improved and productive year in 2021 with government help after the downward slide in the industrial sector because of the Covid-19 pandemic this year.
The newly-elected president of the Federation of Jharkhand Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FJCCI), Pravin Jain Chhabra, said 2020 was bad for every sector but the worst affected was the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector.
He said the government should ensure proper implementation of its existing policies for revival of the industries. “For instance, the single-window system is not very effective as entrepreneurs have to approach the departments concerned offline on many occasions, leading to delays in taking up projects. Similar situations exist in applying for licences under the factory Act,” Chhabra said.