IT Correspondent
Mumbai, May 29:
Maharashtra PWD Minister Ashok Chavan (Congress) who is receiving treatment in a hospital in Mumbai, for COVID-19, on Thursday shared a video through twitter demanding that the Central Government should deposit Rs 17,500 in the bank accounts of poor people.
Chavan stated that the Central Government should make a one time payment of Rs.10,000/- besides depositing Rs 7,500 per month, for the next six months, in the accounts of the poor people who have lost the means of livelihood due to COVID-19 and resultant long lock down.
The campaign ‘Speak Up India’ was launched by the Congress party to raise public support for the people suffering from the coronavirus induced lockdown and asked the central government to unlock its coffers.
In a video message shared on party’s social media, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said “that due to the lockdown, many jobs were lost, work places were shut down, farmers had to struggle to sell their crops but the government did not take cognisance of this”. To overcome this crisis, Gandhi suggested direct cash transfer to migrants and poor families and financial relief to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).
“Put direct cash of Rs 7,500 per month in the account of every family for the next six months and provide Rs 10,000 immediately; ensure safe and free travel of labourers back home, employment opportunity and rations; and also increase the number of work days under MNREGA to 200 days to facilitate jobs in villages,” Gandhi said and added that “Instead of loans, provide financial relief to small and medium industry so that crores of jobs will be saved and the country will make progress”.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said the government should ensure free and safe travel to the migrants who are leaving for their home. “We demand that each migrant worker family returning to their homes should be given free transportation. After being tested, each migrant worker family should be given Rs 10,000 to tide over the present crisis,” he said in a video message.
