PMK urges TN govt to extend assistance to people facing hardships due to coronavirus outbreak

AIADMK ally PMK on Monday demanded the Tamil Nadu government follow other southern states in providing cash and other necessary assistance to people as a result of hardships faced due to the outbreak of novel coronavirus including loss of livelihood.

Pattali Makkal Katchi chief S Ramadoss cited the examples of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Telanagana to urge the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu to extend assistance to people.

While Kerala has earmarked Rs 20,000 crore to be utilised for various purposes including provision of free ration items, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have proposed cash assistance among others to the needy while announcing a lockdown of the respective states till March 31.

Similarly, in Tamil Nadu too, additional quantity of rice besides other food items should be provided to people, Ramadoss said in a statement.

Daily wage labourers in the construction and transport sectors have been hit hard due to various curbs following the virus outbreak and therefore the government must immediately provide them with a cash assistance of Rs 3,000 and extend it to every week in April if the situation persisted, he added.

Tax sops for SMEs and a six-month moratorium on EMIs on various loans were the other demands of Ramadoss.

Meanwhile, AMMK leader T T V Dhinakaran urged the government to postpone the exams to Classes XI and XII in the state.

The independent MLA also demanded for paid leave to private sector employees and government's cash assistance to those in the unorganised sector.

He also demanded that the government impose a three- week curfew to handle the situation.