The Congress consultative group on COVID-19 headed by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh suggested, after a virtual meeting on Monday, that the Central government immediately transfer ₹7,500 to every Jan Dhan account and beneficiaries of the PM Kisan scheme and other pension schemes of the Rural Development Ministry.

The Congress group, of which former party chief Rahul Gandhi and former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram are members, will submit a detailed report to the government on the revival of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as well as streamlining the procurement process of crops such as wheat, mustard and gram.

Addressing the media through video conferencing, former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said the group would meet every alternate day and also discuss a smooth transition out of the lockdown on May 4.

“Right now, the most urgent thing in the country is cash transfer, as people have to survive. People’s livelihoods have been destroyed, lakhs and lakhs of families need immediate assistance. We are not talking about assistance for the next three months, but today, tomorrow, the next few weeks,” he said.

“I think a compassionate government, a sensitive government or a responsive government must and can find the resources for ₹7,500 direct transfer to the three accounts that I have just mentioned. It’s not a question of whether we can find the funds, we must find the funds,” Mr. Ramesh added.

Apart from the Jan Dhan accounts, he said that by directly transferring cash to beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Samman Nidhi (PM Kisan) and old age, widow and handicapped persons’ pension schemes, all the needy rural households would be covered.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) will be meeting on Thursday to discuss the pandemic and lockdown situation. This will be the second CWC through video conferencing.

MSME sector

The group said that priority must be given to the MSME sector because of its social and economic importance as well as it being the largest job provider in the country. Dr. Singh and Mr. Gandhi also stressed the need to extend ‘constructive cooperation’ to the government for smooth crop procurement and resolution of migrants’ issues.

“The idea of this group is to make specific recommendations to the government in a spirit of constructive cooperation as has been emphasised by the former Congress president [Rahul Gandhi] repeatedly and we will also be discussing how to make the transition out of the lockdown after 3rd May, 2020... what are the steps that have to be taken to smoothen the transition for different sections of the society, particularly the migrants, students and farmers,” Mr. Ramesh said.

The Congress leader said that though the party had reservations about the government’s initial response and handling of the COVID 19 crisis, it was focussed on giving a positive feedback for now.

“Yes, we have criticised that the government should have taken steps while they had the time, but they were sleeping. Until March 23, they [the Centre] didn’t take it as seriously as they should have or the fact they waited until the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh was toppled. These are the facts, but today we discussed giving positive suggestions,” Mr. Ramesh said.

He said he hoped the government would “come down from its pedestal” and constructively accept the suggestions put forth by the Congress.

“We are not making demands, we are giving suggestions to the government on behalf of the people of India. These are not Congress party’s demands, these are people’s requirements,” the Congress leader added.