Central government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic (May 4 – May 11, 2020)
Distilled Policy Brief
- Several state governments, including Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Uttarakhand, increased maximum weekly work hours from 48 to 72 hours and daily work hours from 9 to 12 hours to address pandemic-induced labour shortages.
- Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh introduced ordinances exempting factories from key labour regulations, including the Madhya Pradesh Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1961, while retaining basic provisions for wages and safety.
- The central government signed a 500 million dollar agreement with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) as part of a co-financed 1.5 billion dollar project with the World Bank to strengthen India's public health systems.
🎯 Prelims High-Yield Examination Points
Constitutional provisions governing labour under the Seventh Schedule (Concurrent List) and the organizational structure of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
⚖️ Mains Analytical & Syllabus Linkages
Analyze the constitutional, ethical, and economic implications of suspending labour laws to stimulate industrial activity during economic crises.
🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill
With reference to the policy decisions and financial agreements during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in India (May 2020), consider the following statements: 1. To combat labour shortages during the lockdown, several state governments increased the maximum weekly work hours from 48 to 72 hours. 2. The COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project was co-financed by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the World Bank, with the AIIB contributing the larger share of 1 billion dollars. 3. The Madhya Pradesh Labour Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, exempted establishments with less than 100 workers from adhering to the Madhya Pradesh Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1961. Which of the statements given above are correct?
- [A] 1 and 2 only
- [B] 2 and 3 only
- [C] 1 and 3 only
- [D] 1, 2 and 3
▶ Reveal Official Answer & Analytical Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: States like Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Uttarakhand increased maximum weekly work hours from 48 to 72 hours (and daily hours from 9 to 12) to address labour shortages. Statement 2 is incorrect: The $1.5 billion project was co-financed by the World Bank ($1 billion) and the AIIB ($500 million); thus, the World Bank provided the larger share. Statement 3 is correct: The Madhya Pradesh Labour Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, exempted establishments with fewer than 100 workers from the Madhya Pradesh Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1961.
🏛️ Historical Twin PYQ Anchor (2021)
Consider the following statements regarding the "National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)": 1. It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 2. Central Pollution Control Board acts as the sole regulatory executive body.