SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress (MPYC) has asked the Centre to roll out financial assistance of Rs 6,000 per month to every underprivileged family for 6 months under NYAY as part of the observance of the 29th death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, a statement issued here on Friday, said.
The MPYC’s various units across the state as well as other members observed the occasion in their individual capacities.
As per the NYAY YOJNA, the MPYC along with Indian Youth Congress also demanded doubling of MGNREGS benefits to those who have been hit the most and for underprivileged families in urban areas and to start an Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme besides the 6 months of grant for underprivileged families, the statement said.
“It has been more than two months that the Centre declared COVID-19 a ‘Notified Disaster’. Till date, why hasn’t the guidelines of the Disaster Management Act 2005/NDMA not been followed? According to it, it is the responsibility of both Centre & the state governments to provide relief, rescue & evacuate victims of any disaster,” the statement said.
The MPYC, in the statement, said that the government should support the farmers and ensure they get minimum support price and their produce reaches the market.
“Only with such measures, there will be cash in the hands of the people and this will create consumption demand, which is good for the local farmers and vendors,” the youth congress said, while suggesting that rolling back the salary cuts of government employees will also contribute to the demand for their produce.
“This is the best way to catapult the economy. Not keeping people poor or cash-strapped and increasing taxes. Cash in the hands of the people will create demand and with that, local MSMEs can cater to these demands and this in turn will make sure that they can stay afloat,” it added.