Provide monetary help to jobless: Former CM Tarun Gogoi to Dispur

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday appealed to State government to provide monetary help of Rs 7,600 and 10 kg of rice to each poor jobless people of the state, jobs to all MGNREGA active card holders and bring town areas under MGNREGA scheme. He also demanded the state government to immediately withdraw the Rs 5 VAT on petrol and diesel it had imposed recently as it would affect in all section of societies.

Gogoi said that the economic advisory committee formed under the chairmanship of retired IAS officer Subhash Ch Das the State should plan long term and short term measure schemes to cope up with the economically declining situation and also for future course of action.

"Immediate steps should be taken to support and save the small industries, craft industries etc. Economic advisory committee should submit their report to Govt. within a month," the former CM asserted. He also appreciated the commendable services rendered by the govt. servants associated with health department, Police personnel, Media and many others who have rendered their invaluable services at this hour of crisis faced by the state and the country.

He underlined that the abrupt complete lockdown within a few hours without proper planning and policy has immensely cost the country economically. "As a result of which lakhs of lakh poorer section of people including daily wage earner, rickshaw puller, thelawala, traders, small businessmen, kishan, weavers, milk producers, fish producers etc have been adversely affected," he said.

"About five to six lakh workers have been stranded in different parts of the country who have lost their jobs and livelihood. We have been emphasizing from very beginning that lives and livelihood both are equally important but the Prime Minister's slogan was "Jan hei to Jahan hei". Subsequently of course he has realized and changed the slogan to " Jan bhi Jahan bhi," he said.

Further, he stated, "Even those, who are stranded in different parts of the country, were asked to bear the expenses by themselves to travel by train to their respective states. According to me the whole expenses should have been borne by the government of India." 

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