Bakaya welcomes LG’s amelioration prog for Covid hit families

Jammu: Ex-Chief Secretary and J&K Apni Party General Secretary Vijay Bakaya on Wednesday welcomed the announcement of measures by the LG for ameliorating the distress caused to families of Covid-19 victims by the death of their only bread earner.
In a statement issued here, Bakaya said the devastation caused by the pandemic is unprecedented and requires extraordinary responses to combat it.
Bakaya however pointed out that there is need to clarify whether financial assistance is to be provided only to senior citizens dependent on a Covid victim or to every such person irrespective of whether he/she is a senior citizen. He urged that this financial assistance scheme should include all those who have lost their sole bread earners in this fatal infection, irrespective of not falling under the senior citizen category. He stated that this would create an equitable order wherein age would not be the criterion for financial assistance to a dependent spouse and children.
Furthermore, Bakaya said that while the administration was taking all the necessary steps, there still exists a dire need for greater transparency in regards with the preparedness of the administration. The statistical data accessible on the availability of beds, oxygen, ventilators and other medical facilities needs to be made public as a confidence building measure. He explained that this type of regular communication with the people was also necessary as it will help to explain the paradox of low infections but high fatality in Jammu.