Nupi Marup demands financial aid
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 13 2020:
The All Manipur Nupi Marup has urged the State Government to provide financial assistance to the women vendors of Khwairamband Ema Keithel in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown.
The lockdown has affected all and women vendors of Khwairamband bazar are among those worst hit sections.
More than 70 per cent of the women vendors come under economically marginalised section and the prolonged closure of the Khwairamband Ema market has left them hapless with little alternative means to earn income and livelihood, said Nupi Marup in the statement.
It is quite surprising that the State Government has not recognised the hardships of these vendors and has not yet bothered to come up with a relief policy despite the fact that these markets have been closed for almost three months, it continued while maintaining that the Government cares for "Emas" only in words.
The Chief Minister on the eve of the Mothers' Day, had maintained that disinfection activities were carried out for the safety of women vendors but had not done anything to assist them when they are suffering the worst, the statement continued.
"The Government is busy indulging in infrastructure development at quarantine centres and repairing works at Ema Keithel by sanctioning huge sums of money when the vendors are suffering extreme misery," it continued while questioning whether the same was done to favour a handful of contractors.
The women body however lauded the initiative of the State Government for allowing rotational opening of shops at Thangal and Paona Keithels.
While urging the Government to study the feasibility of similar opening of cloth vendors at Lakhsmi Bazar and New Market, the body asked the State Government to consider the plights of the women vendors and provide a financial assistance of Rs 10,000 each to economically weaker women vendors.
Opening of cloth vending will tremendously help many women weavers and related co-operative societies in the State, it added.