Congress, Left parties seek relief for workers

‘Restart cash transfer, food distribution’

April 20, 2021 05:10 am | Updated 05:10 am IST - NEW DELHI

The Left parties wrote to Chief Minster Arvind Kejriwal on Monday asking him to consider restarting last year’s schemes of direct cash transfers, distribution of 35 kg free foodgrains and community kitchens/food distribution to needy households as well as migrant workers.

The parties the measures would prevent the mass exodus of migrant workers that was witnessed in Delhi last year after the nationwide lockdown was announced.

The parties also suggested the need to ready large quarantine facilities by the State government as Delhi’s JJ clusters, unauthorised colonies and other high-density working class areas would be needing it on an urgent basis to prevent spread of this deadly virus. It also asked the government to ensure that all daily wage earners are vaccinated as they do not come under the purview of “work from home”.

The parties also assured that they would cooperate with the State government in fighting the pandemic.

‘Ineffective tactics’

The Delhi Congress, meanwhile, pointed out that Mr. Kejriwal was appealing to migrant workers not to leave the Capital during the week-long lockdown, without announcing any monetary relief package for them.

The party questioned as to how Mr. Kejriwal expected them to stay in Delhi without jobs. “Migrant workers cannot afford any kind of treatment without income. Delhi hospitals are bursting at their seams with COVID-19 patients. They have nowhere to go if they fall ill,” the party said.

Delhi Congress chief Ch. Anil Kumar said the Delhi government’s “ineffective tactics” to fight the pandemic were exposed as labourers have started to leave the city once again after the lockdown was announced.

The party reiterated its demand for an all-party meeting to form a strategy to deal with the COVID situation. It said if the government was not willing to call such a meeting, then the L-G should.

The party also asked is workers to donate plasma and said a list of donors is being finalised.

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