Left parties for cash transfer, free ration to poor

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 31: Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist- Leninist), Revolutionary Socialist Party and All India Forward Block today demanded the Government to provide cash relief, besides free ration items to all poor people.
In a statement issued today, the Left parties said that the GDP growth rate data for 2019-20, released yesterday coinciding with the completion of the first year of the Modi 2.0 Government resoundingly vindicates what the Left parties have been saying regarding the destruction of our economy and the imposition of unprecedented burdens on the vast majority of our people.
“On top of this ruination of people’s lives have come the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic and the kneejerk response of the Government. The abrupt and unplanned lockdown with just four hours notice has imposed further inhuman miseries on the vast majority of our people,” the parties said.
Stating that the plight of the migrants who continue to be tormented, anguished and keep losing lives through hunger, exhaustion and accidents is unbearable, the Left parties said that the lockdown has neither strengthened our capacities to combat the pandemic nor has it provided any required relief to the people to survive in these conditions.
“Thus, to provide some relief to the people suffered badly due to lockdown, Government should transfer cash of Rs 7500 per month for a period of six months in the account of all families outside the income tax paying bracket,” they demanded and also asserted for free distribution of 10 kg food grains per individual, per month for a period of six months.
Besides, the Left parties also reiterated to immediately provide free transportation with food and water to the stranded migrant workers to their native places. They also demanded to ensure a minimum of 200 days employment under MNREGA with enhanced wages and extension of employment guarantee scheme to the urban poor.
The Left parties call upon all their units across the country to raise these demands and pressurized the Governments to fulfill them.