Uttam asks Congress Cadre to Help Migrant Workers

  • ·TPCC Chief holds live interaction with Congress cadre on FB

Hyderabad, May 9 (Maxim News): Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President & Nalgonda MP Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has appealed to party cadre to help the migrant workers in all possible manners.

In a live interaction with party workers through social media platform Facebook on Saturday, Uttam Kumar said that Congress president Sonia Gandhi has directed the Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs) to take care of rail transport cost for migrant workers who wish to return to their native States. As per Sonia Gandhi’s direction, he said the Congress cadre should arrange food, shelter and other facilities for the migrant workers who wish to stay in Telangana and arrange train tickets for those who want to return to their homes. He alleged that the Central and State Governments have failed to take care of the migrant workers despite giving several false assurances. He said crores of poor migrant workers have been facing several problems due to the unplanned lockdown by the government.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the Central Government took a late decision of permitting migrant workers to return to their native places. However, no transportation was arranged and they were asked to pay for the rail ticket. He said Sonia Gandhi took a historic decision by announcing that the Congress party would bear the cost of travel for all migrant workers.

The TPCC chief praised the services being rendered by the Congress cadres across the Telangana State in providing food and other help to the poor and needy during the last 45 days of lockdown. He said that the Congress High Command has appreciated those services and urged the cadre to come forward to help the migrant workers in their areas. He said the party workers could approach him or the TPCC Control Room if they need any additional financial assistance.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said after Sonia Gandhi’s announcement that Congress party would bear the travelling cost of migrant workers, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao too has announced that the State Government would make all the arrangements. However, he said CM KCR was neither reliable nor serious in helping the migrant labours. He pointed out that the Chief Minister, during a press conference, claimed that there were 3.5 lakh migrant workers in Telangana. In a later press conference, he said the figure was 7.5 lakh while Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav had claimed that there 15 lakh migrant workers. He said that the Chief Minister’s ignorance on estimated number of migrant workers clearly shows that his approach was vague and non-serious. He said it was fear of insecurity and negligence which was forcing lakhs of migrant workers to leave the State.

The TPCC chief said that Congress party has briefed Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan on various issues. He said the copy of a petition submitted by ‘Doctors for Seva’, an NGO of private doctors, wherein they expressed concern on less number of Covid-19 tests was also given to the Governor. He said that the Telangana Government was not conducting tests for the secondary contacts and also for those who are suspected to have died due to Coronavirus. This was apparently done to hide real data pertaining to number of Coronavirus cases and deaths in the State. Further, the complaints of doctors, nurses and other medical staff not being provided the Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) were also brought to the notice of the Governor.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the State Government was indulging in wrong propaganda of providing 12 kg rice and Rs. 1500 to White Ration Card holders during the last 45 days of lockdown period. He said that the promised assistance did not reach all beneficiaries. Further, he said 12 kg rice included 5 kg rice given by the Centre. Since all White Ration Card holders get 6 kg rice of every month for Re. 1 per kg, the actual help provided by the State Government was of just Rs. 6 and additional one kg rice. He said one kg of Dal promised by the Centre was not yet delivered. He accused KCR Govt of pushing the State into huge debt and financial crisis due to its wrong economic policies and mismanagement.

The TPCC Chief strongly condemned the State Government’s decision to open liquor shops amid lockdown. He said poor people have lost their sources of income and many of them would waste whatever money they have on liquor consumption. At one side, the State Government is giving Rs. 1500 to poor people while on another side, it is collecting Rs. 3,000 from them by opening the liquor shops. He said the opening of liquor shops would also lead to increase in cases of domestic violence during lockdown. He said it was strange that wine shops were opened even in Red Zones where no other shops have been opened for the people.

Uttam Kumar Reddy also expressed concern over discrepancies in the process for procurement of agriculture produce. He said that the Congress leaders, including him, have visited several procurement centres and found that justice was not being done with farmers. He said that the State Government never released the amounts of Rythu Bandhu amounts on time and the crop loan waiver promise remained unfulfilled even after one-and-a-half year. Reiterating the demand that the State Government release a White Paper on State’s financial condition, he urged the government to clear all dues of Rythu Bandhi and waive off crop loans in a single take.

The TPCC Chief said that unemployment was on the rise due to lockdown and this was the most appropriate time for the State Government to implement of promise of giving Rs. 3016 per month as Unemployment Allowance to the jobless youth. He also urged the government to utilise Mineral Fund for the upgradation of District Hospitals by incorporating ICU and Ventilator units. He asked the government to restore the services of Field Assistance to begin the MGNREGA works in Telangana State. (Maxim News)

Comments are closed.