Former Minister and senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla on Tuesday said that we can’t afford to neglect needy during the coronavirus outbreak, asking Govt to help out those affected the most by the pandemic.He said it was the government’s responsibility to ensure that not a single citizen goes hungry. Government should go to each and every needy person’s house and provide them with ration,” he said. Bhalla demanded central government to implement relief package for the “poorest of the poor” hit hard by the loss of jobs and income as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, a lump sum amount as cash transfer into the accounts of the needy. For the time being, the government’s first priority should be to help the weakest sections of society when businesses, large and small, and the middle class are clamouring for mega relief measures, suited to their needs, due to the significant economic impact of Covid-19 pandemic.
The Industry, Trade and Commerce of Jammu & Kashmir is presently facing its biggest and worst economic challenge with larger and combined effect from Aug-2019 lockdown and COVID-19 crisis. The cash inflows of industries have been affected from August-2019 and the situation is likely to stay that way for the financial year 2020-21. The small as well as the large businesses across the J&K are confronting extreme economic challenges as result of COVID19 Pandemic”, Bhalla said. He said that hotel Industry which was already on ventilator due to extension of train service from Jammu to Katra, is going to bear the brunt of COVID pandemic and ongoing lockdown for a longer time and even after lifting of lockdown, there is no imminent start up of international, national and local tourism. He further said that tourism fraternity i.e., hoteliers, travel agents, dhabawallas, dealers dealing in shawls and handicrafts, dry fruits, taxis and auto-rickshaws, etc which was already under financial stress has been further hit badly by Coronavirus pandemic and lockdown and its consequences will be worse in upcoming days with more challenges due to zero tourism in future.