MDMK general secretary Vaiko has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting the Central government to implement certain measures under the Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana (ABVKY) to provide some financial relief to almost 9 million workers who have lost their jobs due to the lockdown.
In the letter, Mr. Vaiko said many industrialists too are unable to pay salaries to their employees as their revenues have been hit by the lockdown, which has forced workers’ into a terrible financial situation.
Mr. Vaiko suggested that under the ABYKY, employees registered with the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) should be given 50% of their last drawn salary for three months, increasing it from 25% currently prescribed under the scheme.
He said the Centre should also tweak the requirement of an employee being a member under the ESIC for two years to two months, to avail the benefits. Mr. Vaiko also suggested doing away with the requirement that employees can make use of the benefits only once during their lifetime, considering the circumstances the world is living through.
The MDMK leader further said if the government was not in a position to implement the ABYKY scheme of the ESIC during the lockdown, it should implement a special scheme through a standing committee and ESIC, and provide financial assistance to those who have lost their jobs.
