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The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the Nation completely for 17 months. And at the same time it is so excruciating to see many precious lives lost due to Covid-19. Thousands of Naga youths have already lost their jobs working in the private sector outside and within the state, they are going through anxiety and depression due to unemployment. It is so frightening to foresee these educated youths’ future unless some remedial steps are taken by the competent authority. The Government needs to put more effort to bring down the depression level of the youths. Apart from that, small businessmen like Pan shops, hotels, small restaurants, daily wage workers, Auto’s and Taxi drivers are the most affected people. As compared to rural poor, the urban poor people are going through numerous untold difficulties during this Pandemic.
I being born and brought up from a middle class family, know the difficulties faced by them. Government servants will get their salary at the right time even if the lockdown continues for a year. But what about the auto and taxi drivers? And not forgetting the small shops, restaurants, daily wage workers and migrant workers? Who will feed their families? If the lockdown is just for two or three days, they can manage the resources from any angle. But imposing lockdown for a month is totally against the poor people. And imposing total lock down is not the solution to control the virus. It only creates psychological and mental harassment to the 85% of the population which is worse than the Covid-19 disease. Therefore instead of lockdown, the government should opt to give more awareness programmes throughout the state. Lockdowns in extraordinary circumstances maybe be necessary to bring the spread of Covid-19 down, but at the same time it should be done humanely with regard to economically weaker sections depending on daily earnings.
We are living in a democratic country and I being a bonafide citizen of Nagaland have my right to give suggestion to the government and the government to listen to its citizen’s voice. I therefore urge the Government to take some remedial steps which may be taken up immediately for the interest of unheard voices and struggling poor citizens of the state.
If the government of Nagaland is planning to extend the lock down, some suggestions may be to look into the matter and implement on priority basis at the earliest. Therefore, a SPECIAL RELIEF FUND (SRF) should be launched state-wide to be distributed to small businessmen, daily wage workers, Autos and Taxi drivers. The money should be directly transferred to the respective beneficiaries’ account. This may be a kind of initiative to benefit the most struggling poor citizens which can be contributed from different funds.
The following are some suggestions:-
1. Member of Parliament (MP) gets an amount of Rs.5 crores each and every year under Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS). Therefore, if both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs of Nagaland contributed 60% of the (MPLADS), the total amount of Rs. 6 crores can be converted to (SRF).
2. Under Special Development Programme (SDP) an allocated fund of Rs. 9 crores may also be used under (SRF).
3. Department of Tourism may also use at least the amount of Rs.2 crores for those who have lost their jobs in Tourism & Hospitality sector.
Therefore, if some of these programmes from different departments contribute them for the cause of the struggling citizens of Nagaland just for a year in order to rehabilitate their daily life, it would be very much appreciated by the public of Nagaland and may get applaud on the part of the government.
I hope and believe that government would consider my suggestions in very positive manner and take necessary action for the interest of public in general at the earliest.
Shri. S. Lepzung Jamir
Concerned citizen of Nagaland.