Coronavirus in Tamil Nadu: Provide more financial support to poor families, Stalin demands

B Sivakumar | TNN | Apr 8, 2020, 15:10 IST

M K Stalin

CHENNAI: DMK president M K Stalin on Wednesday demanded that the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government provide additional financial support to poor families affected by the lockdown, in force to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
“The Tamil Nadu government only Rs 1,000 to rice ration card owners. This is not enough as many families have had no income for the past 15 days. They will continue to remain so for at least one more week,” Stalin said in a statement.
He said the prices of essential commodities had gone over the roof. Many people, who don’t have any income now, are suffering as they are not able to purchase rice and other essential commodities due to higher prices.
“Prices of thur dal have increased 30% and those of garlic and chili have increased by more than 100%. Prices of tamarind and pepper have also increased since the lockdown. Similarly, prices of vegetables and meat have increased. So families which were dependent on daily income are finding it difficult to purchase any of these,” said Stalin.
He accused the middle level traders of trying to hide all essential commodities and earn huge profit. “Farmers growing vegetables and paddy are not able to get a good price for their crops and they are slowly losing interest in agriculture as they are not able to purchase seeds and fertilisers,” said Stalin.
Small vegetable shops and kirana stores are not able to purchase commodities as well as vegetables due to their high price.
Stalin said the Centre and the state government should take immediate steps not only to curb the spread of Covid-19 but also to prevent people dying from starvation.
He said the Tamil Nadu government should think about fast screening of people with Covid-19 symptoms, as it is done in Delhi.