Remove lockdown in phased manner, start economic activity in country: Anand Sharma

Congress leader Anand Sharma on Monday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should remove COVID-19 lockdown in a phase-wise manner and pointed out that there is a necessity to start the economic activity in the country.

"The economy of the country was already in poor condition and after the coronavirus outbreak the crisis has deepened. So it is necessary for the Prime Minister to remove lockdown in a phase-wise manner by making a policy framework. It is necessary to start the economic activity in the country," Sharma said.

"For the MSME sector, it is important that the government enables the movement of trucks laden with goods. The MSMEs should be given loans at zero per cent interest rate," he said.

"Farmers' produce should be purchased on district and sub-division level. As per the report of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), 40 crore labourers may go below the poverty line, so the government should review its fiscal policy," the senior Congress leader said.

He said that the government should allow CSR money to be donated to Chief Minister's Relief Fund amid the COVID-19 pandemic.