Monetary aid extended to school van drivers
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 15 2020: Taking due note of the woes faced by school van drivers who have been virtually rendered jobless after schools were closed on account of the Covid pandemic, MLA Joykisan extended monetary aid of Rs 5000 to each school van driver residing within Thangmeiband Assembly segment.

On the eve of the Ningol Chakkouba festival, the MLA distributed Rs 5000 each to 98 school van drivers at a function held at Khoyathong today.

Speaking at the gathering, Joykisan noted that school van drivers have been left without any source of income after all schools were closed for a protracted period because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said that the monetary assistance was provided after the difficulties faced by school van drivers were discussed at length with Thangmeiband Kendra Development Organisation (TAKDO).

Incidentally, Kh Joykisan is also the chief patron of TAKDO.

Saying that MLAs should share the problems and difficulties faced by public, Joykisan appealed to all fellow legislators to help school van drivers of their respective Assembly segments in their own capacities.

He also prayed for speedy recovery of Chief Minister N Biren from COVID-19 so that he too can help school van drivers.

He further prayed that the Ningol Chakkouba festival bring peace and harmony among different communities and solidify the relationship between brothers and sisters.

Meanwhile the All Manipur School Students Transporters' Association (AMSSTA) has urged the Government to make arrangements to give some relief to the hardships faced by them after 8 months of being out of work.

The call was issued during a distribution of relief material and monetary assistance for the school van drivers in Keishamthong Constituency held under the patronage of Maheshwar Thounaojam, president Republic Party of India (Athawale) Manipur State at Keishampat.

Speaking on the occasion, Tongbram Jimmy, general secretary AMSSTA said van drivers were amongst the group worst affected by the lockdown and the pandemic.

He said usually the drivers were faced with shortage of work and earnings during the short winter vacation every year, but the service has been stopped since March for almost 8 months and has brought immense hardship to all the van drivers.

Jimmy also said that though most of the service sector has slowly started getting back to work, the van service providers are still unable to start functioning as the schools are not open yet.

He further added that even the school proprietors are collecting 30% of tuition fees but the van drivers have been out of work for eight months now.

Maheshwar Thounaojam speaking on the occasion called upon the Government to devise a way to address the woes of the van drivers, and added that though he wants to help them in a far greater way, is bound by his limited resources.

AMSSTA thanked Maheshwar Thounaojam for his generosity in helping out the van drivers.

Comment