TDP National President and Opposition Leader N Chandrababu Naidu has drawn attention of Jagan Sarkar to worsening pandemic in Italy, Spain and Iran. There is a greater need now to initiate sterner measures than just lockdowns in order to effectively contain the mass spread of the deadly virus. In an open letter to Jagan Reddy, Mr. Naidu stressed the need for speeding up preventive measures to prevent community level transmission of the disease. There is a need to take immediate steps to save the daily wage workers and poor families whose livelihoods are under strain because of lack of daily work during lockdowns and curfews.

Mr. Naidu asked the government to provide poor families with 2-months ration, including rice, edible oil, pulses, sugar, vegetables and other essential commodities. Also, Rs. 5,000 financial assistance has to be given to each family during this extreme distress. Vegetable prices were hiked by 300 per cent by blackmarketeers in the open market. The government should intervene and bring down prices of milk, vegetables and all essential commodities. Officials should make vegetables available at Rythu Bazaars at low prices.