Kerala CM urges PM to increase MGREGS mandays to 150

: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to increase immediately the number of mandays under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGREGS) from the present 100 to 150 days, besides increasing the wages by at least by Rs 50.

The plea in this regard was made by Vijayan at the video conference Prime Minister had with chief ministers of various states.

Kerala also wanted to be allowed to front-load the next year's market borrowing in April this year, Vijayan told reporters after the COVID-19 meeting.

The Central government should disburse during April- May this year at least 40 per cent of the revenue deficit grants recommended by the 15th Finance Commission, he said.

Kerala also wanted the state's borrowing limit to be raised to 4 per cent of GSDP for 2020-21, Vijayan said.

The state had also sought formulation of adequate income support scheme for the aged, poor and unorganised sector and wanted adequate supply of foodgrains to be ensured at subsidised rates.

Free movement of essential commodities like food and medicines, among others, across state borders should be ensured, he said.

Vijayan said banks should be directed to double their micro credit allocation at reduced interest rates.

A special package for the hospitality sector - tourism, hotels and restaurants, and export industries which are badly affected by the coronavirus should be announced with interest waiver on their loans during the moratorium period, he said.

National Disaster Relief fund benefits should be extended to the people under home isolation also and approval for testing laboratories in public and private sector should be granted as per the state government recommendation, he said.