Urges for cap on skyrocketing prices of consumer goods.
    
Srinagar, May 27 (KNS): Appreciating the concern shown by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha towards the plight of Covid- affected families and  Covid- lockdown hit people under tourism sector,  Chairman People's Democratic Front ( PDF) Hakeem Yaseen has urged the need for a comprehensive relief package for the affected farming community also. He said covid lockdown coupled with the massive hail storm in various areas of Jammu and Kashmir has severely affected all prospects of agriculture and fruit activities, leaving the livelihood of lakhs of farmers in the lurch.

In a statement issued to Kashmir news service (KNS) on Thursday, Hakeem Yaseen while hailing relief measures initiated by LG for  Covid-19  affected people including the poor strata of the tourism sector, has urged the need for a comprehensive relief package for the poor farming community. He said due to lock down almost all the farmers and fruit growers are unable to market their produce. 

"Farmers are facing tremendous difficulties in marketing their Cherry produce due to continuous lockdown, Hakeem Yaseen said adding that the livelihood of the farming community as a whole has been pushed to the wall due to prevailing restrictions on movement in the wake of a covid pandemic.  He said it was imperative to provide immediate relief to the farmers, fruit growers and traders to save their families from starvation. He demanded that the free ration announced by the government for only  BPL families should be provided to all the households of Jammu and Kashmir up till the pandemic was over.

"Likewise, bank loans of all farmers and fruit growers under the KCC scheme should be waived off immediately besides providing them fertilizers, seeds and other agricultural inputs free of cost, " Hakeem Yaseen demanded. He said the government should exempt electric and water fees of the people till the situation arising out of the Covid pandemic comes to normal. He said due to the Covid pandemic people are not able to their monthly electric bills, loan instalments and other taxes.

PDF Chairman has hailed the announcement of LG to provide monthly cash assistance to the next of the kin of a dead person due to covid disease and scholarship to their wards for pursuing higher studies. He said the novel pandemic has cast its ugly shadow on every section of the society including the farming sector, trade, business, transport and tourism who need to be compensated adequately.

Hakeem Yaseen has also urged the need for keeping a cap on prices of essential commodities adding that skyrocketing prices of consumer goods have broken the backbone of consumers. He said government machinery has miserably in its duty to curb prevailing profiteering and black marketing on the open market.  " Existence and accountability of administration were insight on the ground level, " Hakeem Yaseen observed while urging the LG to overhaul the system earnestly.(KNS)