Congress Seeks Additional Relief For Lockdown Extension

Former minister & ex-Leader of Opposition in the Telangana Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir on Monday demanded that the state government immediately announce another relief package for the people affected due to the lockdown, since the lockdown had now been extended till April 30.

Shabbir Ali said that the state government had announced a basic relief package for BPL families in the state only for the first phase of the lockdown from 22nd March to 14th April, with white ration card holders being promised 12 kg free rice per person and Rs 1,500 per family. And even there, although the Chief Minister had made the announcement on March 22, the distribution of rice began only after April 1st, and was not yet completed. He also said that none of the 87.59 lakh beneficiaries got the promised Rs 1,500 in their accounts. Likewise, not all the 3.5 lakh migrant workers in the state got the promised 10 kg rice and Rs 500 cash.

He demanded that first the distribution of due rice and cash among all beneficiaries be completed immediately.

"Then, since the state government has decided to extend to lockdown till April 30, it should announce a separate relief package for the second phase. The government cannot expect the poor to survive on just 12 kg rice and Rs 1,500 for entire lockdown period of 39 days," he said.

He also demanded that other sections of society, including the middle class, the salaried class, workers of the unorganised sectors, non-white ration card holders etc., be given a suitable relief package, too.

With no economic activity for the last 23 days, the majority of private and small firms had not paid salaries to their staff for the month of March, and might not pay anything for April either. Therefore, in addition to for white ration card holders, the state government should announce a package for the remaining sections, too, he said.

The Congress leader also demanded that the electricity and water bills for the lockdown period be waived off.