Covid-19 is a public health emergency, what we need is action, not an alibi for inaction, CV Ananda Bose, One-Man Commission for Labour appointed on behalf of the Central Advisory Contract Labour Board under the Union Ministry of Labour, told BusinessLine here.
Overarching legislation
An overarching legislation that gives special and effective power to the government, combining the provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act, the Indian Penal Code and other relevant legislations may be put in place to empower the government to deal with a public health emergency.
Considering the urgency of the situation, an appropriate ordinance may be thought of. States may issue strict guidelines and enforce them for social distancing, breaking the chain and flattening the curve, Bose added.
The pandemic year may be treated as a ‘zero year’ or ‘blanked-out year’ so that no one loses one year of one’s productive/academic life. As a short-term relief, an assured basic income may be provided through direct transfer to the poor and the needy.
Comments
Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.
We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.