Congress seeks Mizoram guv's intervention for central assistance

The opposition Congress in Mizoram wrote to Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai, seeking his intervention to get assistance from the Centre for stranded residents of the state elsewhere, and aid the fight against the coronavirus outbreak here.

In a memorandum, Congress legislature party leader Zodintluanga Ralte said the state government is currently grappling with a financial crunch amid the outbreak.

He said Chief Minister Zoramthanga, his cabinet colleagues and other legislators were helping the people from their own resources. Apart from them, churches, NGOs and village and local-level task forces were helping the poor with their own money and from public contribution.

All these developments reveal that the state government is running out of money to fight the spread of novel coronavirus in the state, Ralte said.

He alleged that the state government has not disbursed any financial assistance to the needy apart from the Rs 3,000 per person assistance disbursed to beneficiaries under the construction workers'' welfare board. I urge you to find any possible help from the Centre to fight the spread of novel coronavirus in Mizoram, Ralte said in the memorandum said.

He also asked the governor to take measures so that people of the state stranded in different parts of the country get financial assistance. He pointed out that most Northeastern states such as Manipur, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya were extending financial help to their residents who are stuck in other parts of the country.

Officials said the state government is making efforts to help the stranded residents. The stranded people are provided food and shelter at Mizoram houses free of cost, they added. On Saturday, different Mizo welfare committees from various parts of the country wrote to chief secretary Lalnunmawia Chuaungo seeking, assistance from the state government. 

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