VIJAYAWADA: Leader of the Opposition and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu shot off an open letter to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday urging him to give two months’ ration and Rs 5,000 for the poor and take steps to controll milk and vegetable prices.
Expressing concern over the increasing coronavirus cases and casualties in many countries, Naidu drew the attention of the State government to the worsening pandemic in Italy, Spain and Iran. He said that the World Health Organisation has asked countries to initiate stern measures other than just lockdown in order to effectively contain the mass spread of the deadly virus.
Underscoring the need for expediting preventive measures on a war-footing in accordance with the Modi government’s latest guidelines, he said that nearly 15,000 foreign returnees have entered Andhra Pradesh and all of them should undergo isolation with special focus on creating awareness among their family members, relatives and social contacts.
Naidu urged the Chief Minister to take immediate steps for rescuing the daily wage workers and poor families whose livelihood has come under severe threat because of lack of work during the lockdown. The government should provide poor families with two months ration consisting of rice, edible oil, pulses, sugar, vegetables and other essential commodities. This should be delivered at their doorsteps. In addition, Rs 5,000 financial assistance should be given to each family in this time of distress. Expressing concern over soaring prices of vegetables, Naidu urged the government to intervene and ensure reasonable prices for milk, vegetables and all other essential commodities. He asked the government to designate some hospitals as exclusive corona treatment facilities with isolation wards.