Influencers are key to success. They compress time, save cost of execution and are reliable source of execution. Most influencers are self made. A group of influencers for a common goal are used for bigger milestone by dozens of corporate, brands and even political parties. There are various tools to activate the same.
While individual influencers come with a price tag a group of influencers are at disposal with zero cost depending on the positioning and value proposition conveyed by the entity seeking their patronage.
For political parties one group of influencers is middle class citizens. Middle class act as catalyst between a political party and BPL voters. Who can understand this better than BJP that has tasted success not once but twice in general elections. Middle class voters have stood with NaMo all throughout. Over the last six years there were various small and big issues, some taken care while some were ignored. However, Lockdown in various parts of India has created major setback to middle class families. At this juncture middle class is expecting NaMo to stand with them with tangible support. Multi layered press conference of 20 lac crore relief package is good for opposition, BPL, farmers and MSME who have running loans but not for masses. The relief has to be looked in terms of immediate and future relief.
While below poverty line and minorities have nothing to fear and genuinely government and NGOs have always been liberal to come to their rescue, it is the middle class that needs government support like never before.
While the 20 lac crore relief package is good for small percentage of the population, the middle class be it in MSME category or otherwise is finding it really difficult to make two ends meet.
The expectation of middle class is not for freebees but for breathing space. By the end of this calendar year ends a lot of middle class families will go from bad to worse. The reason is loss of job and business. Their survival is on friendly borrowing. Ones who are still in job are working on reduced salary. Demonetisation and GST were different. Despite hardships the people supported govt. Now the challenges are different.
Achhe din aane waale hain compelled these middle class people to burn mid night oil consistently and stand by NaMo. There were light showers of some relief for middle class in the first term but not before lot of public humiliation by own right wingers who have a habit of throwing a template of Modi did this and Modi did that for middle class. They fail to understand Modi doesn’t shy away from accepting areas of improvement if public has demanded. The writer has done series titled #BBLUNT and some suggestions were implemented from time to time.
What NaMo need to work out is a relief package exclusively for middle class at the earliest. The relief package should take care of immediate and future needs. A mix of subsidy and loans to ensure the person in need doesn’t fall in the trap of credit cards and private money lenders.
Solution
Create a dedicated platform for middle class citizens to apply for relief. Ones who have lost job or business should be given temporary BPL ration card for a period of two years.
Payment of GST quarterly instead of monthly.
Reward MSME who are not eligible for default loan announced in Relief Package last month. Ones who have track record of paying taxes on time for last three years can be considered.
Reward working class who have lost jobs or are getting reduced salary with loan and sufficient moratorium if they have running housing loan or vehicle loan.
Family who have school and college going children should be given default education loan at subsidised rates with two year moratorium.
Their dependent parents and grand parents should be given health insurance for next three years for any medical exigency.
Add to this if there are any ongoing loans like housing loans etc they need to be given relief for next six month moratarium from EMI.
FIT India needs physically and mentally fit citizens.
A stress free person is bound to create better results. The government has obligation to show equal empathy for middle class when they are in dire need. Lot of middle class people and from unreserved category are already deprived of opportunity. Timely assistance will come as big relief to this biggest class of influencers.
Emphasis should not be on the value of relief package or what percentage of the GDP it is instead it should be on how many affected citizens are taken care. This will ensure more motivated citizens and less people going to bed empty stomach.
Author: Robin can be reached on Twitter
Twitter: @ZeroAppeasement
Picture Credit: Rahul Shah
