COVID-19 lockdown: Mayawati demands 'relief package' for poor

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Thursday appealed to the Centre and state governments to arrange a systematic "relief package" to facilitate meal requirements of 130 crore poor of the country during the 21-day lockdown to prevent coronavirus spread.

"After strict enforcement of 21 days lockdown and curfew restrictions on 130 crore poor/toiling masses of the country, now the Central and state government should arrange a systematic relief package to fill stomach of people to overcome their problem of bread and livelihood. Pay attention to it immediately," Mayawati tweeted in Hindi.

The BSP chief further stressed on the private sector in the country and the needs of their employees at a time of lockdown.

"Along with this the lockdown imposed on the private sector in this country and the various concessions given to them, the central and state governments should ensure that the monthly wages are paid to the people working there. People are also appealed to comply with government directives," she said.

In order to ensure sufficient supply during the lockdown, the Central government on Thursday announced the food security scheme to benefit 80 crore people across the country. Under the scheme, the government will provide foodgrains by 2 kg to 7 kg per person through ration shops.

"The government has decided to provide 7 kg per person of foodgrains to 80 crore people under the Public Distribution System (PDS), which the world's largest food security system," Union Minister Prakash Javadekar told media after attending the meeting of Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a 21-day lockdown in the entire country effective from midnight to deal with the spread of coronavirus, saying that "social distancing" is the only option to deal with the disease, which spreads rapidly.