Covid measures for poor, job loss to come under house panel scrutiny

After the deadly Covid-19 second wave, vaccine availability, socio-economic fallout, impact on railways and medium and small industries, unemployment in unorganised sector and overall impact of the pandemic have come under parliamentary scrutiny. Parliamentary standing committees, led by Opposition MPs, have added new subjects for examination by the panels which would bring under scrutiny various aspects of the second wave, which had overwhelmed India in April and May.

As parliamentary standing committees resume meetings after a gap of two months, various aspects of government’s Covid-19 management during the second wave and overall impact would be minutely examined. Almost all parliamentary committees, headed by Opposition members, have added these politically potent subjects.

Parliamentary committee on home affairs, headed by Congress’ Rajya Sabha MP Anand Sharma, would examine the socio-economic fallout of the second wave. According to sources, the panel would study job loss, migration from cities to villages, economic slowdown and effectiveness of measures undertaken by the government especially for the vulnerable sections. Parliamentary panel on labour, headed by Biju Janata Dal MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, has added the impact of Covid onloss of jobs/ livelihood in organised and unorganised sectors.