Delhi:According to reports, the Modi government is considering giving salaries directly to the unemployed workers in the informal sector, affected by the coronavirus lockdown. The move is aimed at compensating them for loss of employment in wake of 21-day lockdown.
Sources said, the government is considering different options for giving salaries directly to workers who have become unemployed due to the lockdown. In first such options, the central govt may give 50% of the salary to such workers. Apart from this, the govt may also consider giving a minimum lump sum amount to the workers.
Under this option, workers in the informal sector can be given at least Rs 5,000.
Under the third option, salary can be given as a part of subsidy or a part of salary can be given as interest free loan. These loans can be given to companies.
Sources said, members of NITI Aayog and Finance Ministry held a meeting on this issue in the PMO. The industry relief package is expected to be announced this week.
The novel coronavirus, which has killed 32 people in India and infected more than 1200 so far, forced the government to announce 21-day lockdown last week, shutting businesses temporarily. The lockdown has mainly hurt daily wage earners, contractual labourers and self-employed workers, among others, in the informal economy in rural and urban areas, pushing them out of jobs.
The Modi government has already announced a Rs 1.7 lakh crore stimulus package that includes free foodgrains and cooking gas to poor people for three months as well as cash doles to women and poor senior citizens to alleviate the financial impact due to the lockdown.
