Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 12: CPI (M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami today said that COVID-19 lockdown has made survival of daily earners, like artisans, who have been almost without any work since last August, difficult and urged the J&K administration to immediately cash transfer of Rs 7500 to all artisans in J&K and distribute free food grains to them.
In this regard, he sent a communication to the Lt Governor G C Murmu, which reads: “At a time when lockdown to contain coronavirus has shattered the livelihood means of millions of people across the country, situation in Jammu and Kashmir is no different. The lockdown has made survival of daily earners, like artisans, difficult. Since almost last one year, they are facing huge crisis.”
Informing that the artisans working in J&K constitute a considerable percentage of total employment in the Union Territory, Tarigami said that these artisans do not get adequate social security. “Despite implementation of some schemes for their welfare, there is a huge deficit in the coverage of artisans in the matter of labour protection and social security measures ensuring their welfare and well-being. Under these circumstances, the Government must immediately cash transfer of Rs 7500 to all artisans in J&K and distribute free food grains to them,” he demanded.
Suggesting that the Government should make social security board for handicrafts workers on the pattern of J&K Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board, Tarigami said that the proposed Board can provide social security and welfare of the artisans. For social security board, the Government should charge one percent cess from those individuals and firms who are in the export business of handicrafts. This step can make the social security board for artisans sustainable, he added.
Tarigami also demanded that the Government should provide financial assistance to artisans for constructing one room for carrying out handicraft activity because most of the workers don’t have proper place for carrying out their activities. The Government should make a raw material bank for artisans so that they don’t face any shortage while carrying out their work, he added and also stressed for market support to the artisans by the Government so that the role of middleman is reduced and the benefit of hard-work goes to the artisan directly.
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