India's Biggest COVID-19 Relief Donor, Azim Premji Says Poor Should Get Emergency Cash Relief
Click here to find out details of what Azim Premji, India's Biggest COVID-19 Relief Fund Donor said about giving relief to workers.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, on Thursday, gave some more details about the Rs 20 lakh crore economic package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The package focused on providing relief to farmers, labourers and the unorganised sector. She said that 14.62 crore man-days of work has been generated till May 13, 2020, through MGNREA and that an amount of Rs 10,000 crore has been spent on this.
Reuters
"Expanding MGNREGA may be the most import move. We must universalise and double PDS ration for 3.6 months, and distribute it free through doorstep delivery, along with cooking oil, pulses, salt, masala, sanitary pads and soal in advance to all,¡± ET Now quoted Wipro¡¯s founder Azim Premji as saying about FM's announcement for migrant labourers and farm sector.
Talking about the rural sector Premiji stressed the need to help the poor.
.@Wipro's, #AzimPremji says the agony & pointless deaths faced my migrant workers are an unforgivable tragedy. Also says he was shocked that state Govts are suspending many #LabourLaws that protect workers. "Labour laws are hardly among industry's top constraints,"he said pic.twitter.com/RrCdc7J3jA
¡ª ET NOW (@ETNOWlive) May 16, 2020
"Emergency cash relief of Rs 7,000 a month should be provided for at least three months (without biometric authentication) to each poor household/or migrant worker,¡± he reportedly said.
The billionaire said that complete autonomy and freedom should be provided to stranded and migrant labourers to decide their travel plans, while ensuring all measures for containment of the pandemic. "No one should be forced to stay back, or returns to their home states. Stranded workers should be allowed to travel for free on buses and trains," Premji said.
PTI
It is noteworthy that Azim Premji is the third biggest donor towards COVID-19 relief funds in the world. He is the only Indian in Forbes top 10 list - right behind Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Microsoft¡¯s Bill Gates.
