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Updated: May 12, 2020 8:33:46 am
View of the CSMT station full of girls in Mumbai
Maharashtra Prime Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiate Mumbai suburban railway services for use by those working in essential services. It also called for the deployment of central forces so that the overloaded and overworked state police could receive some relief, and for the Union government to disburse outstanding GST dues and the full amount of tax refunds to the state immediately.
A statement issued by the Office of the Chief Minister quoted Uddhav saying: “Suburban rail services should be started and should be only for employees working in essential sectors. They may be allowed to board the premises after verifying their identity cards. “
The question of starting the Mumbai suburban railway was raised by Bahujan Vikas Aghadi MLA Hitendra Thakur at the all-party meeting, chaired by Uddhav, last Thursday. Thakur had said that he would help those in essential services follow the rules of social distancing and travel safely.
Claiming that the inter-ministerial core teams that had visited Mumbai and Pune had given useful suggestions, Uddhav assured the prime minister of his government’s cooperation at the virtual meeting on Monday.
“The doctors, other medical personnel and the police are working day and night. Police personnel especially need to rest as they are involved in law and order work. It won’t be good if they get sick. So if the Union government provides us with labor when needed, it will help reduce the burden on the police, ”he said.
It also requested that ICU beds and hospitals belonging to central agencies, such as the Mumbai Port Trust and the Army, be made available to the state.
In addition, Uddhav asked the prime minister for “concrete and firm instructions” on the closure, which could be implemented by the state government.
Workers disinfect a local train in Mumbai. (Express photo: Prashant Nadkar)
The CM also requested that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) give the go-ahead to banks to grant crop loans to farmers who have not yet received the benefits of the farm loan exemption scheme. “The crop loan exemption scheme started in Maharashtra before the Covid-19 crisis. But some districts, especially in Vidarbha, were unable to take advantage of the benefits. Now, the Kharif season has begun. Therefore, the Center must instruct the RBI to grant crop loans to these farmers who have not yet reaped the benefits of the loan waiver scheme. 10 lakh farmers in the state will benefit, “Uddhav said.
It also requested that the outstanding GST fees and the full amount of the tax refund be disbursed to the state immediately. He also suggested that states should take precautions when transporting migrants to prevent the spread of Covid-19. “Many people have been stranded since the past two months. Workers from other states are interested in returning home, and people from Maharashtra, who are trapped in other states, are also returning. Since these workers travel from various areas, we all need to take better precautions, “he said.
Uddhav also suggested that a medical force task, along the lines of one established in Mumbai and Pune, should be established at the national level.
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