Urgent Appeals for Financial Aid Amidst Natural Disasters and Gig Worker Welfare

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari urged the central government to provide financial aid to flood and landslide hit Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand where 22 lives were lost due to cloudbursts. Meanwhile, DMK's Tiruchi Siva highlighted the need for a national framework to protect gig workers’ rights and ensure their welfare.

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari on Friday urged the central government to offer financial assistance to Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where recent cloudbursts and landslides have resulted in nearly two dozen fatalities and several missing persons.

During a zero-hour mention in Rajya Sabha, he emphasized that six people have died and 50 remain missing in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla, Mandi, and Kullu districts due to the natural calamities. The ensuing flooding has shut down three national highways and dozens of other roads, leaving tourists and commuters stranded.

In neighboring Uttarakhand, the heavy rains have claimed 16 lives with many still unaccounted for. Tiwari pointed out that last time Himachal Pradesh did not receive financial aid and stressed the necessity of adequate support from the central government.

In another pressing issue, DMK's Tiruchi Siva highlighted the plight of gig workers in the Indian economy. Currently estimated at 80 lakh, their numbers are projected to rise to 2.3 crores by 2030. Siva brought attention to their vulnerable status and demanded a national framework to safeguard their basic rights.

He mentioned that unlike their Western counterparts, gig workers in India are often deprived of social security benefits and accident insurance.

(With inputs from agencies.)