Ranchi: State finance minister Rameshwar Oraon and a few other economists have opposed the idea floated by certain quarters of imposing a lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus. The economists have instead advised the state government to strengthen its health facilities and social welfare schemes to tackle the impending rural and urban distress, which is likely to occur in the coming weeks with a surge in reverse migration of workers from big cities.
The state labour department, though, doesn’t have a composite data of those returning to Jharkhand in recent days and weeks.
During last year’s lockdown, over six lakh migrants had returned to Jharkhand, of which a majority had again left their homes in search of livelihood after failing to find enough jobs here.
Talking to TOI on Monday, Oraon said that the government has begun consultations to prepare a roadmap.
“The key to tackle the economic impact of the pandemic now is to try and prevent total lockdown but at the same time ensure steps to curb the spike in infections. As the finance minister, I am against total lockdown in the state but we are taking steps to keep the economic activities moving with certain restrictions,” Oraon said.
He added that the government does not immediately foresee any major distress in rural and urban areas even though migrants are returning. “Post harvest, farmers have stocks of crops at their disposal to deal with hunger issues. This apart, directives have been given to all PDS dealers to ensure timely grant of ration to all card holders. If situation demands, we shall provide ration to also those who don’t have ration cards like we did last year,” Oraon said.
Economists Harishwar Dayal and Ramesh Sharan, too, said that the government must strengthen basic facilities at the ground level to curb Covid cases. Dayal said, “Migrant workers who are returning now have money at their disposal unlike last year, when the sudden imposition of lockdown had robbed them of cash and resources. The state government’s focus now should be to work out ways to engage them in MNREGA and allied activities. All ongoing social welfare schemes should also be continued to prevent any distress situation.”
Sharan, a former vice-chancellor of Vinoba Bhave University, said that the state government should immediately work out plans for distribution of advance ration by mapping vulnerable areas. “Focus should be on strict compliance with Covid protocols to curb infection, and also to ensure that economic activities are not completely halted to deal with the crisis,” he said.