Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Monday sought enhancement of monetary relief BPL, AAY categories saying the relief that is being given to deserving is too less to cater to their demands.
Drawing attention of the government towards the hardship that the deprived sections of the society are undergoing in wake of continuous lockdown, District President Srinagar and former MLA Peer Afaq said that the quota of ration and the monetary relief is insufficient, inadequate to cater to the demands of large families.
“People in Srinagar city especially those residing in the Shar-e- Khas locality, mostly comprise of Artisans, daily wagers, Casual workers; this deprived section of the society lives by hand to mouth, they earn only to run their kitchens and have little to no savings. The modest savings of these people have already depleted since 5th of August last year, the COVID-19 crises has added to the miseries of these people.
The quantity of ration and the amount of money being distributed by the government to the BPL, AAY beneficiaries is akin to rubbing of salt on their wounds. We see state governments all over the country going an extra mile to lend support to the deprived sections of society, however here it seems a far cry.”
People in Srinagar city do not have the land and cattle to bank on to ease their hardships during lockdowns, he said while expressing concern over the plight of people engaged in unorganized sector. “A good chunk of Srinagar’s population ekes out its living by working in Handicraft and tourism sectors. There are others who earn their living by running stalls, plying Autos and running other small businesses.
These people were already running through losses due to the tumultuous situation post August the 5th. Marred with soaring debts, they had pinned hopes on the ensuing tourist season; however the prevailing situation has dampened their expectations. Most of these artisans had taken to manual labor but that window of opportunity also stands closed to them due to the crises thrown at us by COVID-19 sprawl,” he said adding, “ therefore it is expected of the government to come to the rescue of these have-nots.”
