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Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra shot off a missive to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, advising him to launch schemes to provide financial assistance to the people reeling under several financial problems due to the second wave of Covid in the state.
In her letter sent on Thursday, Priyanka pointed out that the second Covid wave had severely affected the masses and the people had to suffer unbearable pain and trauma. The outcry of the helpless people in April-May made it clear that the government had no plans to counter the more fatal form of the pandemic.
“Many unnecessary rules and red tape brought down a mountain of trouble for the people. The epidemic took away thousands of people from us and on the other hand it created huge difficulties in the form of livelihood, loss in business and other work related to daily earners. Today, crores of people are apprehensive about their futures. Their means of earning have hit rock bottom and a galloping inflation has only added to their miseriest. This has particularly put the middle class in trouble. Instead of leaving people in these difficult situations, it is necessary that your government initiates some concrete welfare measures so that people can get some relief from their troubles,” Priyanka said.
The Congress leader further suggested that besides government health services, private sector hospitals also played a big role in the epidemic and many non-government hospitals set exemplary and honest examples of public service. “But there have also been complaints from across the state of private hospitals scamming the general public of hefty sums in the name of providing treatment. People who are troubled for their patients are taking loans to pay huge bills and are raising money in some way,” she said.
Priyanka asked the chief minister to sit down with representatives of private hospitals to determine an appropriate and public-friendly price for treatment so that neither the hospitals were financially affected nor there was scope for exploitation of the people in trouble. She also suggested that the government should make an arrangement to provide compensation to those who have been charged excess money by private hospitals.
“Due to rising inflation, it is becoming difficult for the common people to buy daily consumables and essentials. Prices of edible oils, vegetables, fruits, and household use items have just gone through the roof and hence the government should initiate concrete and immediate steps to control inflation in the state and check rising prices so that people do not face acute problems in running the household in this time of crisis. “The people of Uttar Pradesh are already plagued by the hike in electricity prices and smart metres. Reports are once again surfacing about a possible increase in electricity tariff in the state. In these times of unending problems the government should refrain from burdening the consumers more and instead give relief in payment of power bills,” she urged.
The Congress leader said that the schools in the state were closed, but parents were under pressure to deposit fees every month and the schools too face the problem of paying salaries to their teachers and staff. “The state government should prepare a roadmap after deliberations with the representatives of schools and the parents, to develop a system of giving fee waiver and a package of financial aid to the schools. Besides, a roadmap should be prepared to give relief to businessmen and shopkeepers of the state who are facing hard times by way of relief in taxes and duties,” she advised.