JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) termed as inadequate the relief measures announced by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday and demanded inclusion of other deserving sections in the package.
The party also demanded upgradation of healthcare facilities in hospitals, especially in Government Medical College (GMC) and associated hospitals and peripheral hospitals to check the high mortality rate due to the novel infection.
We welcome certain relief measures announced by the Lt Governor for the families of the Covid victims and other poor sections. However, the same is inadequate and there is a need to include other deserving sections in the relief package, the JKPCC said in a statement here.
It said the party welcomes certain initiatives taken by the government like pension to senior citizens who lost their bread earners to the pandemic but feels the two monthly relief to labourers at Rs 1,000 per month is meager and should be enhanced to Rs 6,000 per month.
The party asked the government to extend financial assistance to roadside vendors, small traders, transport operators including helpers as well other non registered labourers in the package.
All other daily bread earners should be identified and given financial assistance till lockdown is over to manage meals to their families, the party said.
It also stressed for further strengthening of the overall health and medicare facilities with engagement of required manpower and removing the shortcomings in the logistics in all hospitals to save lives in view of high mortality among COVID-infected patients in Jammu hospitals.