National Conference state Secretary Sakina Itoo on Tuesday sought relief for the electricity consumers to help businesses and people tide over the losses suffered due to COVID19 lockdown.
While drawing attention of the administration towards the inability of the consumers to pay electricity bills, Itoo said all economic activities including tourism, transport, businesses, agriculture and horticulture have come to a grinding halt in wake of the lockdown since August last year.
She said people especially daily-wagers find themselves in dire straits completely unable to pay hefty electricity bills. “The situation of people engaged with small and medium businesses is no different and poor lot is reeling under huge debts,” she said. “The governments across the country are taking measures to provide succor to people to tide over the major slump down the economy is facing now. The continuous absence of any vital business activity has plunged people into destitution and poverty. They are now unable to make both ends meet, not to talk about paying hefty bills,” Itoo said.
She said administration should have taken a clue from other state government and worked out a mega relief package for commercial as well as non-commercial electricity consumers.
She said the rural economy has suffered major reverses on one account or other since August 5 last year. She said weather vagaries and successive clampdown and lockdowns have played havoc with rural economy and the problems of the people have compounded on account of the government apathy and indifference.
“The agriculturalists have no money to spend on the procurement of seeds and other merchandise required for the farming purpose. The recompense given to the farmers by the government was less as compared to the losses incurred by them,” she said.
She maintained that in order to get the economy back on track, it was imperative for the government to give a helping hand to artisans, farmers, and people associated with rural and cottage industries.