YSRCP Government gave just Rs. 1,000 to poor families, that too in a selective manner. Some other states gave Rs. 5,000 and door delivery of essentials to all poor regardless of their political affiliations. Such is the seriousness of Coronavirus threat. TDP demanded Rs. 5,000 initially but CM Jagan did not care much. But now, Telugu Desam Party General Secretary Nara Lokesh has appealed to the YSR Congress Party Government to use the multi-crore construction workers welfare fund to save the poor families from starvation under this prolonged COVID lockdown.

In a letter addressed to Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy here, Mr. Lokesh called for a minimum Rs. 10,000 financial assistance to each construction worker’s family. Loss of work on account of scarcity of sand in the past and lockdown restrictions at present have pushed the workers to the brink of hunger and starvation.

Mr. Lokesh said that the new sand policy has badly hit the workers who are not able to earn a single meal a day and some have committed suicides unable to earn their livelihoods. In this difficult time, the AP Government should spend the Rs. 1,900 Cr building cess for saving the construction workers from the present crisis.

Mr. Lokesh also asked for revival of Chandranna Beema insurance programme in additional to all possible relief measures to create confidence in the poor families.