New Delhi: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Prasanna Acharya Wednesday urged the Centre to release funds to the states as the financial condition of the latter is not sound.
Participating in a discussion on COVID-19 in Rajya Sabha, the BJD Parliamentary party leader said that as per the current growth trend, India will become No 1 in terms of coronavirus infections. He also said that the country’s GDP growth rate is the worst.
Demanding release of pending funds, Acharya said, “The financial position of the State Governments is not sound. The Centre is not coming forward to provide whatever is due with the Centre. This is crucial time.”
He said that even GST dues of many states are pending with the Centre. The Union government should release the pending amount to states.
The BJD MP also suggested that the Centre should consider declaring COVID warriors as martyrs. He suggested that the Centre should also consider giving Rs 50 lakh compensation for COVID warrior’s death.
Amid the speculation of another phase of virus surge, the BJD MP urged the Centre to issue fresh guidelines for the workers returning to their workplaces. He also requested the government to take steps to control police brutality in the name of social distancing violations. Acharya said that in many parts of the country people faced police brutality during lockdown.
“It is not a Taliban state. It is a democracy. We have seen on the small screen how the police were beating people. Though police is a state subject, I think, the Central Government should come out with a broader guideline about this,” said Acharya.