People's lockdown is Economy's lockout: Congress

Kapil Sibal on Saturday lashed out central government for the measures it has so far taken to combat the crisis of coronavirus pandemic.

New Delhi: In the wake of coronavirus pandemic, Congress party, on Saturday, said that nationwide lockdown has created an economic "lockout" across the country, and hence, it urged the center to formulate a national plan for handling this crisis under the National Disaster Management Act, 2005.

During a press conference, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal suggested the union government to reconsider the lockdown decision enforced in the country as it is affecting the nation's economy to a great extent. He said, "You can't have a lockdown of people, and a lockout of the economy. That's not a way to formulate policy." While citing Section 6(2)(b) of NDMA, which states that the national authority may approve the national plan, Sibal said, "As per the act, union government was duty bound to formulate the national plan to deal with COVID-19 but strangely the government has maintained conspicuous silence."

He further stated, "The union government, in absence of a national plan to deal with COVID-19, seems to have delegated its responsibilities to state governments. Without the necessary infrastructure, both human and physical, and adequate financial resources, state governments are not in a position to effectively deal with this pandemic."

Quoting Section 12 of NDMA, Sibal said, "We would like the Prime Minister to inform the people of this country about the minimum standards of relief that are required to be provided to persons affected by the disaster. Instead of discharging, its solemn responsibility is to provide succour to the poor and helpless stranded migrants, the union government has chosen to shift the onus to state governments to do what they can without a plan and without guidelines."

Under Section 46 of NDMA, which deals with the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), he further stated that this fund, apart from amount appropriated by parliament or by law, can also receive grants made by any person or institution for the purpose of disaster management.

The Congress leader also questioned the purpose of setting up Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance Relief in Emergency Situations" (PM-CARES) Fund. He said, "It is ironic that instead of using the provisions of the act for grant of relief, PM has setup PM-CARES fund, asking people to generously donate into that fund. This is precisely the money that is to go to the NDRF for relief and rehabilitation of those affected by lockdown. The purpose of setting up PM-CARES should also be made public and private donation can be made to the NDRF, otherwise the motive of setting it up may evoke suspicion."

He also pointed out that PM-CARES, instead of being governed by a statute, as contemplated by the Act of 2005, is set up as a public trust.

He alleged that the bureaucrats are "deciding the fate" of common people of this country, by formulating policy of government during this lockdown, who actually have no idea about the ground realities.