news details |
|
|
| Govt remains busy with historic Rs 12,600.58 cr budget, forgets roadside eateries | | No relaxation pushing workers, owners towards starvation | | Early Times Report
Jammu, June 17: Apparently busy in approving historic Rs 12,600.58cr District Capex Budget for the year 2021-22, the helmsmen seem to have forgotten thousands of people associated with roadside eateries. These small time businessmen and their workers are on the verge of starvation as the authorities have not them to restart their eateries.
Despite authorities giving relaxation to a large number of business enterprises these small units have been ignored. These small time vendors have taken loans to survive as their savings stand exhausted.
One can find roadside eateries in every nook and corner of the city as well as along the link roads or on highways. The authorities have not till date given any relaxation to these eatery owners.
“Since the imposition of lockdown, we have not been able to open up our small units, which are the only source of income for us. Despite the fact that the government has relaxed the lockdown restrictions and allowed several business enterprises to run their businesses, eateries provide employment to a large number of people and we have nowhere to go”, said, Rajesh Kumar, a fast food eatery owner.
“Our daily business activity starts during the evening hours and till 9 PM, but since the lockdown as well as relaxation to lockdown, after 6 PM, lockdown restrictions are imposed across Jammu district. How can we manage things as when our time to start business begins, lockdown is imposed”, said, Suresh Balgotra, owner of an eatery serving fried and tandoori fish. “Even the customers of the eateries also come out only in the evening.”
Sushil Singh another eatery owner said, “We have to pay monthly instalments of LICs, vehicle insurance instalments, fee of children and have to feed the family members. Most of the eatery owners have small savings and depend on daily earnings to manage all things but since last over one and half month, we have been unable to run our business and meet family expenditures”, Singh said, adding that the minimum savings which were available stand exhausted and now “we are borrowing money from relatives to meet our expenditures.”
“After qualifying my Class 10th exams, I had started working in an eatery to help my family and pay school fee of my two sisters, as my father had expired due to illness. The eatery owner usually gave me salary as well as some money for daily expenditures. In the monthly salary, the family requirements were met but since last one and half month, I am sitting idle and running short of money”, Sumit Kumar of Billawar said, adding that the government should provide some assistance to all such daily wage earners.
He further added that his friend is working in a Bar and Restaurant but has been sitting idle, since lockdown. “There are a large number of youth from Billwar and hilly areas who have been working in eateries, bars and restaurants but have been sitting idle since lockdown”, Kumar said and appealed to the Lieutenant Governor administration to intervene in the matter and pass necessary instructions. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
