Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura

Agartala, July 24, 2021: On Saturday July 24, the Secretary of Tripura opposition party, CPIM, Gautam Das castigated the BJP-IPFT coalition government for not imposing stringent measures to tackle COVID-19 spread across the state.

He also reiterated that the government needs to provide specific quantity of food and one-time financial assistance to the marginalized families, exempted from income tax.

While addressing the press conference here in Agartala on Saturday afternoon, Gautam Das asserted, “The state government and its administration doesn’t have any proper planning to stop the spread of COVID infection as well as no plan to help those poor people who are exempted from income tax”.

He said, “The government has imposed weekend curfew for the third consecutive term, but not allotting any kind of relief for the poor people who were exempted from income tax throughout the state”.

“Since the beginning of the last pandemic, CPIM has been deliberately urging the government to provide 10 kilos of rice and pulses along with Rs 7,500 as financial assistance as works under MGNREGA in rural areas and TUEP in urban areas had reduced to a certain extent. But the government did not pay any heed to the demands of the opposition party”, Das told media.

Tripura CPIM secretary further stated “Only curfew will not serve the purpose of tackling the rise of COVID pandemic. The government also needs to ensure the proper livelihood of poor people residing in different parts of the state by providing them free food facilities and financial aides”.

In reaction to a query regarding the distribution of ration kits under Chief Minister’s COVID Special Relief Package Scheme, Das said “Curfew during the second wave started on May 14 last. For how many days, people will continue with one-time assistance of Rs 1000 and rice, lentils, pulses, potatoes, onions and edible oil? And there is a doubt about how many families are receiving out of enlisted 7 lakh families in Tripura by the government administration?”