Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Congress leader, Ramesh Chennithala has slammed the packages announced by the Central and State government saying that the stimulus claimed by the governments is a means to scam innocent people.
Chennithala added that the government is allowing the foreigners to loot Indians of their money in the pretext of Atmanirbhar package.
Where Rs. 20 lakh crore is being offered in the form of loans and sale of public enterprises by the central government, Kerala state government is allegedly ‘supporting’ its people with Rs. 20,000 crore to clear the pending payments, media reported talking to Chennithala.
“The need of the hour is what Rahul Gandhi had suggested in the election manifesto of handing people liquid cash of Rs 6000 to the poor and the needy. It’s been 56 days since the lockdown began and the state and the centre should immediately think of giving money through direct benefit transfer and that would be a great boon,” said Chennithala.
He also mentioned that the state government had announced Rs. 1000 to each household, but that too hasn’t been materialized yet.
The leader lashed out at the current kerala government for not attempting to bring back any keralite who is stranded elsewhere in the country or foreign nations to his hometown.
“We never ever asked any person stuck outside to be brought to the state without a proper entry pass. Vijayan has not made any effort to get our people back. Gandhi has made steps to get back Keralites from Punjab and Rajasthan on trains. Karnataka Congress party arranged free buses to Kerala,” said Chennithala.
Chennithala pointed out that the trains and aircraft that bring in Keralites are charging hefty fares.
He brought out that the major concern was the expensive charges for the tickets of the trains and flights that needed to be paid by the Keralites to come to the state.
“The electricity charges that are now coming are so high. Normal life in our state has been affected very badly and the state government is not doing anything. A lot of hype was raised about community kitchens and what we now hear is most of them have been closed. So is the case with the ‘people’s hotels,” added Chennithala.
He also spoke about the rate at which the economy was decreasing in the country and the government’s measures to curb it. “The expectation was that it would be a stimulus package as people have got no purchasing power. The country’s economic stability cannot be increased just by sanctioning loans. People will be forced to pay not only interest, but penal interest as well when they don’t have any source of income to repay the loan,” said Chennithala.
Chennithala attacked the Vijayan government for allowing the sale of liquor through bar, an act which has happened for the first time in Kerala. Along with it, he said that this sale is promoting corruption as the government takes a share of these transactions as commission.
“With this new decision, which is a corrupt deal between the CPI-M and the bar owners, the State is going to lose 20 per cent commission on sales that the state owned liquor vends (301) used to get. Now this will go to these bar owners resulting in loss to the state exchequer,” said Chennithala.
“Currently, retail liquor sale is permitted through 265 Bevco outlets and 35 other shops. After the lockdown is called off, the LDF government is planning to promulgate an ordinance to change the Kerala Abkari Act that will eventually permit retail liquor sale through bar counters,” said Chennithala.
The Congress party is going to give its list of suggestions to the Kerala government to be undertaken for the benefit of the people residing here.