NPAs through phone calls generated during NDA rule: Congress
New Delhi, Sep 3 : Congress on Monday said Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) through phone calls were generated during NDA rule as it increased from 6.4 per cent to 9.4 per cent in MSME sector in the past three years.
"The Prime Minister just made a statement that NPAs were generated because of the phone calls (during UPA rule). He said the NPAs increased because of those phone calls," said Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh.
"I want to ask him (Modi) that when he became the Prime Minister, NPAs of small-scale industries and MSME sector was 6.4 per cent. In the past three years, it increased from 6.4 per cent to 9.4 per cent."
"Therefore, this is not our phone call, this is your phone call," Ramesh added.
In a no-holds-barred attack on Congress and its chief Rahul Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused "one privileged family" of being responsible for the huge scam in bank loans through "phone banking" during the UPA regime and vowed to bring back every rupee stuck in NPAs.
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Karnataka govt to establish Gig Workers’ Welfare Board
Bengaluru, Apr 3 (PTI): The Karnataka government decided to establish a Gig Workers’ Welfare Board, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s office said on Thursday.
The decision was made following a discussion between Siddaramaiah and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi.
According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), Rahul Gandhi inquired about the timeline for formulating the Gig Workers' Welfare Act, which he had promised during his Bharat Jodo Yatra and the elections.
"The Karnataka government has decided to establish a Gig Workers' Welfare Board to ensure the well-being of workers employed by companies like Amazon, Flipkart, Ola, Uber, and others," the statement said.
It further stated that a five per cent cess would be collected from the concerned companies, while the state government would provide the remaining funds required to support welfare schemes for gig workers.
"A comprehensive bill covering all aspects of gig workers' welfare will be prepared and presented before the state cabinet for approval," the statement added.
Three gig worker representatives—Rakshitha Dev, Sheikh Salahuddin, and Nikhil Dev—were also invited to the meeting.
They appreciated the government's initiative and expressed hope for improved working conditions.
State ministers Santosh Lad, Priyank Kharge, and M B Patil were present at the meeting.
Santosh Lad was quoted as saying that Rahul Gandhi, who had earlier advocated for gig workers' rights during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, welcomed the eight-point proposal prepared by the Labour department.
Rahul Gandhi also emphasised the need for swift implementation to safeguard gig workers' interests.
"The Karnataka Labour Department has already introduced three key bills—covering workers' gratuity, cinema workers' rights, and now, gig workers' welfare. The unorganised workers' sector has lauded the government's efforts and extended full support for this progressive move," the statement quoted Lad as saying.
