Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], April 8 : Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president and Nalgonda MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday felicitated station workers by showering flower petals and washing their feet.
Other Congress leaders accompanying him provided cash incentives, masks, food items and other equipments to the workers.
During the event, Reddy demanded that the state government must immediately release the pending salaries to entire municipal station staff of the state and ensure an adequate supply of protection equipments for medical professionals.
Speaking on the occasion, Uttam Kumar Reddy lauded the services being rendered by the station staff, medical professionals and police personnel across the state to fight COVID-19.
"They are serving the people round the clock by taking risk on their health and lives to protect the general public. The state government must take care of all needs of the station staff, medical professionals and police personnel in order to recognise their services," he said.
"It is quite shocking that even after 15 days of lockdown due to Coronavirus, not all the medical professionals in the state are having protective equipment," he added
The TPCC chief also expressed displeassure over the 50 per cent cut in the salaries of the state government employees.
"Almost all departments are involved in the anti-Coronavirus operations and it is immoral and unjustified to deprive the staff from their salaries. Also, slashing the pension amount by half would make people face hardship as they will not be able to meet their monthly needs, especially medical bills," said Reddy.
India's tally of COVID-19 cases stood at 5,194, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday. Out of the 5194 cases, 4,643 cases are active cases while 401 people have recovered/discharged and one migrated.
The ministry has reported 10 new deaths in the last 24 hours increasing the toll to 149.
( With inputs from ANI )