Hyderabad, March 29 (Maxim News): Former Minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir said Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao for his failure to supply ration and other essential commodities to poor people despite the lockdown completing more than one week.
Shabbir Ali, in a media statement on Sunday, said that the people of Telangana, especially poor, middle class, salaried, daily wage earners, labourers and other weaker sections were living in an extremely bad condition with no food to eat and no access to other facilities. “While the total lockdown is essential to prevent further spread of Coronavirus, it is the duty of the government to provide food and other commodities to people during the lockdown period. We don’t want people to suffer from Coronavirus. But we also don’t want them to die of hunger,” he said.
The Congress leader said that the Chief Minister had promised supply of 12 kg free rice and Rs. 1500 each to nearly 87 lakh White Ration card holders. Even after one week, no arrangements have been made to provide the promised help. “We are facing an emergency situation wherein entire population is combating an epidemic. Poor people have lost their livelihood and all sources of income. How does the government expect them to survive without food for over one week? If the same situation continues for a few more days, then more number of people will die of hunger than Coronavirus,” he said.
Shabbir said that the Chief Minister appears to be in some kind of race with Prime Minister Narender Modi. When PM Modi announced lockdown for 14 hours, KCR extended it for 24 hours and later extended it till March 31. When Modi announced 21-days lockdown, KCR added two more days by extending it till April 15. “Both PM Modi and CM KCR are trying to convert a tragedy into an event. They are more interested in creating ‘picture’ opportunities for the media than addressing the real issues. The lockdown was not properly planned and its execution was horrible. He said that both Central and State Governments did no assessment of immediate impact of lockdown. It was done in such a haphazard manner that it created chaotic situation everywhere, he said.
The Congress leader demanded that the State Government start supplying the promised rice and financial assistance on immediate basis without wasting another hour. Further, he said that the quantity of rice should be increased substantially in view of extension of lockdown till April 15. He said other commodities including Dal, Sugar, Salt, Wheat, etc., should be also be given at free of cost.
Similarly, he said that the State Government should increase the financial assistance to at least Rs. 5,000 due to prolonged lockdown. He also demanded that people without ration card, migrant labourers and other daily wage earners should also be included in the relief package. He said that the amount for all Aasra pension should be doubled and deposited immediately in the accounts of all beneficiaries.
Shabbir Ali said lakhs of people have lost their jobs due to lockdown. Therefore, the government should announce a package for those who lost their jobs since March 22. Further, he said that the State Government has issued directions to private companies to pay full salaries for the lockdown period. But not many companies or small firms would have so much of cash reserves to pay to their employees when their businesses are closed since March 22. Therefore, the government should provide interest-free loans to all such companies, without any collateral, to enable them to pay salaries to the employees for the lockdown period.
He also demanded that the State Government waive off the power and water bills for the poor and middle-class. Similarly, the power bills of SMEs, private firms and establishments for the months of March and April should be waived off as they had suffered huge losses due to lockdown. He urged the State Government to start the implementation of Unemployment Allowance of Rs. 3,016 per month on immediate basis.(Maxim News)
Comments are closed.