Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana KP Singh today sought a special welfare scheme and policy for the economically weaker sections of the society, irrespective of the caste, creed, colour or religion they belong to.
The Speaker said there was an urgent need for such a scheme in view of the fallout of the COVID pandemic that had economically ruined and devastated people across the communities, particularly the urban areas.
In a statement issued here today, Rana congratulated the Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi for the number of welfare schemes he had announced for people across Punjab within a short period of time.
He observed that a large section of the society continued to remain ignored and marginalized since it does not come under any welfare scheme of the government. “It is for this reason I have a suggestion to the government that economically weaker sections of the society need to be identified and provided relief on the pattern of other weaker sections of the society so that nobody is left out”, he said.
Moreover, the Speaker added, he has been receiving scores of representations and delegations from people badly affected by the COVID pandemic. “People have lost highly paid jobs. Factories have shut down rendering so many unemployed”, he pointed out, while adding, well to do families have been reduced to poverty overnight and they do not see any ray of hope.
Suggesting some relief measures, Rana said, the government can institute a special time bound survey to identify the economically weaker sections of the society, who are spread mostly across the urban areas and start providing relief and compensation to them. “The pursuit of progress must be inclusive and include everyone, while keeping economic welfare of people also in mind”, he observed.
