Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 9: Ashok Kumar, former MLA Ramban and a senior Congress leader has appealed to the Central Government and Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir to provide cash assistant of 10,000 each to unorganised daily workers, drivers, migrant labourers, widows, specially abled persons and jobless old age citizens in Jammu and Kashmir for their basic livelihood and survival in this lock down under second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.
In a press statement here, Ex-MLA said these poor people or BPL are living under huge financial stress and poverty. These people have already suffered in previous lockdowns and their livelihood is about to abandoned due to continuous imposition of lockdowns across the Jammu and Kashmir. The lockdown is essential in current environment, however, it is the responsibility of Government to help out the marginal section of people in UT. Government should also ensure transparency in all the financial packages for poor, he added.
Ashok said that instant cash payment through cash transfer should be given to unorganised labourers, vendors, small traders, drivers, day to day earners etc. who under prolonged stress of lockdown have become jobless including daily wagers and others. Due to lockdown there is a economic havoc or disaster in the lives of the millions of the jobless and marginalized people, not only daily wagers but also workers of jig economy have been affected because of lockdown. He said Government must ensure their everyday livelihood.
Ex-MLA further said that MGNREGA balance payments is imperative in such a pandemic. The remaining cash should also be transferred in the accounts of MGNREGA workers. He said that the three months advance pension should also be given to the special abled persons, widows and old age. Kumar stated that there should also be the enhancement of pension from up to Rs 2000 per month so that these marginalized families could survive under the dangerous second wave pandemic and difficult times.
Ashok said that free ration should be given up to next 4 months for both BPL and APL card holders who are poor migrant labourers, daily wagers and jobless and also to the poor people without ration cards.
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