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Subsidised foodgrains for slum dwellers sought
Civil society groups on Monday demanded the Central and State government to provide subsidised food grains to slum dwellers of the city through PDS.
Hyderabad: Civil society groups on Monday demanded the Central and State government to provide subsidised food grains to slum dwellers of the city through PDS.
Subsidised food grains be provided through the Public Distribution System to all the people living in slums irrespective of the fact that they have White Ration Cards or not. This could be a temporary measure for two to three months till the economic situation improves, they added.
In a letter addressed to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, RBI Governor, Urjit R Patel and State Level Banker’s Committee (Telangana) representatives of over 20 civil society groups and activists cautioned that violence could erupt in parts of the city, where banks and ATMs are sparsely located.
While referring to Old city where people were frustrated after standing in long queues and not able to get cash from their accounts, they expressed fear that these spots may become flash points and may result in violence.
Representatives of Centre for Peace Studies, Hyderabad Urban Labs, Sankalp, Dana, TISS, Basthi Vikas Manch, Intach, Swaraj Abhyan, MY Collective, Apna Watan, Aseem, ICSW and several activists have called upon the government to avail the existing network of Customer Service Points (CSPs) that have been created as part of the Financial Inclusion Programme.
SBI, SBH and some other Public Sector Banks have large number of CSPs in the old city. Besides opening of ‘No Frills’ accounts, they suggested that CSPs can be allowed to take deposits and also for withdrawal of cash.
Helping micro entrepreneurs
Due to shortage of currency notes people are using whatever cash they have to stock up on food grains and products. Thus the tiny working capital held by micro entrepreneurs as well as micro producers is getting diverted to meet immediate consumption need.
This according to the civil society groups has already started affecting their business and in the medium to long term there is a likelihood of many such businesses getting wiped out.
For helping the businesses the large number of women SHGs connected to various government agencies should be used to refinance these micro producers and micro entrepreneurs.
The government should provide an overdraft facility of Rs 50,000 to these SHGs. Besides this, the Micro producers or entrepreneurs should be provided working capital loans of Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 on a priority basis. This will help to refinance their businesses.
