Terming fourth day announcement of economic package by Government of India as misleading and mischievous, Telangana State Planning Board Vice Chairman B Vinod Kumar said one is forced to wonder that centre mistook reform measures as relief measures for COVID-19. He further said that Government of India is pulling a joke on the poor and distressed population of the country through daily announcements.
Analysing the reforms announced by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Vinod Kumar said that the structural reforms in any sector are no doubt needed and it is an ongoing process, but how reforms in atomic energy, mineral sector, space, and defense provide relief to face COVID-19 crisis at individual level. “How privatisation of Discoms in Union territories will be relevant to current health crisis,” he asked.
He pointed out that the fourth day announcements made no mention of any financial support to the State governments which are facing huge financial crisis due to revenue loss on account of lockdown for fighting the Pandemic. “As long as these announcements do not contain some direct financial support to States, they remain as publicity gimmicks to divert the attention from the serious issues,” he said.
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“I condemn the callous attitude of Prime Minister and Finance Minister for giving false hopes to the distressed people on India through phony announcements every day without giving any substantial direct benefit and relief to them,” Vinod Kumar said.