21/03/2020
(๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ for ๐.๐ฆ )
โข ๐๐๐๐๐-๐๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ง๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ค ๐
๐จ๐ซ๐๐โ
To deal with the economic challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, โCOVID-19 Economic Response Task Forceโ will be created
It will be headed by Union Finance Minister.
The Task Force will consult stakeholders, take feedback, on the basis of which decisions will be taken to meet the challenges.
โข ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐จ๐ง๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ
These are anti-HIV drugs
This drug combination isrecommended by Union Health Ministry to be used on a case-to-case basis depending upon the severity of the condition of a person having coronavirus infection.
๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ ๐
๐จ๐ซ๐๐ (๐๐๐๐
) ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐๐๐๐-๐๐
NDRF was established in 2006 under The Disaster Management Act, 2005
It comes under Ministry of Home Affairs
It is the only dedicated disaster response force in the world
It works under National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) which lays down policies, plans and guidelines for disaster management.
Capabilities for undertaking disaster response, prevention, mitigation and capacity building
At present there are 12 battalions in NDRF (three each from the BSF and CRPF and two each from CISF, ITBP and SSB) which are deployed strategically across country to provide immediate response.
All battalions have been equipped and trained to respond natural and man-made disasters including chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) emergencies.
โข ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ง
WHO advised patients suffering from COVID-19-like symptoms to avoid the drug ibuprofen, unless prescribed by doctors.
It is an anti-inflammatory drug that is easily available with chemists in India, and can be purchased without a doctorโs prescription.
Ibuprofen, a non-steroid, is used for relief from joint pain, migraine, fever, body ache, and even pain during the menstrual cycle.
Its function is to reduce pain, swelling, and fever by suppressing substances that produce swelling in the body.
Other non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs include aspirin, cortisone, naproxen and diclofenac.
๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฏ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ (๐๐๐๐)
All pneumonia patients must be notified to the IDSP so that they can be tested for COVID-19
IDSP is an initiative by the Ministry of Health and Family Affairs started in 2004 with the assistance of World Bank.
:
To strengthen/maintain decentralized laboratory based IT enabled disease surveillance system for epidemic prone diseases to monitor disease trends
To detect and respond to outbreaks in early rising phase through trained Rapid Response Team (RRTs)
Programme Components
Integration and decentralization of surveillance activities through establishment of surveillance units at Centre, State and District level.
Human Resource Development โ Training of State and District Surveillance Officers, Rapid Response Team and other Medical & Paramedical staff on principles of disease surveillance.
Use of ICT for collection, collation, compilation, analysis and dissemination of data.
Strengthening of public health laboratories.
Inter sectoral Co-ordination for zoonotic diseases
๐๐๐๐๐-๐๐: ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ง๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐
Prime Minister Modi constituted the task force under Finance Minister to assess the economic impact of the pandemic and suggest palliative measures.
The following are some suggestions for the task force
*Cash transfers
Casual Job workers like construction workers, cab drivers, restaurant waiters, mall workers, domestic help, itinerant retailers are either already without jobs & incomes or will soon find themselves in that position.
Cash transfers of a fixed amount to these vulnerable sections would be useful.
There are 33 crore accounts under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana that can be leveraged for this purpose.
There is also an efficient Public Distribution System prevalent in most States through which the beneficiaries can be identified for a cash handout.
Cost Estimation: A transfer of โน1,000 to a total of 23.53 crore ration card holders will cost the Centre over โน23,500 crore
Hong Kong announced a cash handout of HK$10,000 to every permanent resident as a supportive measure.
The United States is also weighing the option of a cash handout totalling $250 billion to its citizens.
*Loan guarantee
Service industries such as airlines, hotels and restaurants and tourism have begun to feel the impact of COVID-19 and in course of time it will extend to the manufacturing sector as well.
There will be revenue and profit issues to deal with later but the immediate crisis is one of cash flows.
Banks are also not going to offer any accommodation to these businesses given their own issues with NPAs.
This is where the government can offer loan guarantees to affected businesses.
For a start, government can provide guarantees to working capital loans and link it with assurances from the borrowers concerned that they will secure the jobs in their companies.
Britain has pledged ยฃ330 billion of government-backed loans and guarantees, France and Spain have announced โฌ300 billion and โฌ100 billion aid, respectively.
*Mortgage holiday
An equated monthly instalment (EMI) holiday can be a huge blessing for individuals and businesses when faced with a job loss, salary cut or loss of revenue.
A three-month mortgage holiday should be coaxed out of lenders by the government for businesses in obvious trouble and to those employed by such businesses.
RBI should show regulatory forbearance in the matter of asset recognition for banks when it comes to these industries.
There are other helpful actions that the government can take such as
Promptly discharging its bills
Refunding taxes without delay
Promptly carrying out direct benefit transfers already budgeted for
If necessary, even permitting affected businesses to temporarily delay payment of statutory dues such as provident fund and ESI.
*How to finance?
Cooperative Federalism: The resources of the Centre and the States have to be pooled to develop a national response to economic challenge posed by COVID-19 pandemic
Kerala, for example, has already announced a โน20,000 crore package and other States may follow suit
Leverage Private Expertise: The government will have to engage with the private sector while devising assistance measures.
Bonds: A well-structured, tax-efficient bond issue can be an option to tap into the large pool of domestic savings. The large Indian diaspora can also be tapped into.
The government needs to come up with financial action plan involving all stakeholders (States & private sector) so as to tide over the crisis caused by the pandemic
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