Industrialists say PM Modi's 'janata curfew' a good idea but seek economic stimulus to combat slowdown

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation has urged citizens to impose a people's curfew on March 22 from 7 am to 9 pm. He added that Sunday’s self-imposed curfew will prepare citizens for challenging times.

The Prime Minister asked citizens to not step out of their homes unless there is an emergency. He also urged to avoid visiting hospitals for any routine check-ups and advised them to consult doctors over phone unless it is an emergency.

He further announced setting up of COVID-19 task force under the stewardship of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The task force will work on reducing the economic stress caused due to Coronavirus outbreak. The Prime Minister also appealed to employers to not cut salaries of employees who are unable to come to work.

He also said that citizens should avoid panic buying and should not hoard essential goods fearing a lockdown. He assured that the government is working to ensure that there will be no shortage in supply of essential goods.

Leaders from various sectors of the society have lauded the message from Prime Minister.

FICCI President Sangita Reddy said that it was a very comprehensive and well thought through address.

“I think it was appropriately acknowledged that this is a major pandemic. That India has to-date appears to have got off relatively unscathed compared to the global community, it was most appropriate to say let us not stay complacent, let us continue to be extremely vigilant."

"I believe that the combination of appropriate health response, collective public discipline, and acknowledgment of the economic crisis as a country is definitely in. The immediate steps to support the vulnerable, whether it is the vulnerable on the health side or the vulnerable on the economy side, whether it was daily wage workers I think sets the pace for the mood for appropriate action for the whole country,” she said.

Vikram Kirloskar, President of CII, said, “It is a very appropriate message at this time. I think he addressed which is very important is that don’t get a feeling of complacency."

"Even though things look good, this is a very serious issue, it can spread fast, so have resolve and restraint, and be sensible and responsible as well. I really liked his message, I like the idea of Sunday no one goes out. It is a test and it is also a one day everything shuts down, it stops a lot of things. I like his idea of giving thanks to all the service workers and also how to take care of our employees.”

Mohandas Pai, Chairman of Aarin Capital, said, “He is appealing to society for the social capital that all of us bring."

"This kind of a crisis is unprecedented and can only be fought if all of us fight together and that is why our charismatic leader gave a call to people to come together, to work as one, to have social distancing and to make sure that we use the social capital to support each other, to support the vulnerable sections, support people who work with us, make sure that people are not laid off, and make sure that people get their salaries, etc."

"I think it was a great starter for a program that has to be there. But I would have want the government to announce an economic stimulus because the vulnerable section is the informal sector, they do not have salaries coming, nobody is protecting them.”

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, CMD of Biocon, said, “It struck a very good chord with all the citizens. I also thought it was a message that was trying to calm all the fears that people are perceiving at this point in time.

"I think he basically tried to assure people that things were under control and that it was very important to prevent further spread and that can only happen if we practice social distancing. I think the call to observe a janata curfew on Sunday was actually to basically demonstrate a kind of a self-discipline, to see if citizens can actually almost self-quarantine themselves at a mass scale.”