Former minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir has criticised Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao for his alleged failure to supply ration and other essential commodities to poor people despite the lockdown completing more than one week.
In a media statement on Sunday, he said that the people of Telangana, especially poor, daily wage earners, labourers and other weaker sections were living in an extremely poor condition with no food to eat and no access to other facilities.
The Congress leader said that the Chief Minister had promised supply of 12 kg free rice and ₹ 1500 each to nearly 87 lakh white ration card holders. Even after one week, no arrangements have been made to provide the promised help. “We are facing an emergency situation wherein entire population is combating an epidemic. Poor people have lost their livelihood and all sources of income. How does the government expect them to survive without food for over one week,” he said.
He accused Prime Minister Narender Modi and the Chief Minister of trying to convert a tragedy into an event. They are more interested in creating ‘picture’ opportunities for the media than addressing the real issues. The lockdown was not properly planned and its execution was horrible. He said that both Central and State governments did no assessment of immediate impact of lockdown. It was done in such a haphazard manner that it created chaotic situation everywhere, he said.
Shabbir Ali said lakhs of people have lost their jobs due to lockdown. Therefore, the government should announce a package for those who lost their jobs since March 22. Not many companies or small firms would have so much of cash reserves to pay to their employees when their businesses are closed since March 22. Therefore, the government should provide interest-free loans to all such companies, without any collateral, to enable them to pay salaries to the employees for the lockdown period.
He urged the State government to start the implementation of Unemployment Allowance of ₹ 3,016 per month on immediate basis.
