Mumbai, Apr 25 (PTI) Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan demanded on Saturday that the Maharashtra government should pay Rs 5,000 per month as unemployment allowance to rickshaw and taxi drivers who have valid permits.

In a letter to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Chavan said there are 10.6 lakh rickshaw drivers and 2.75 lakh taxi drivers with permits in the state.

They are facing hardship because of lockdown to contain coronavirus, he said, pointing out that the Delhi government has decided to give taxi and rickshaw drivers Rs 5,000.

"The Maharashtra government should follow suit just as it has decided to pay Rs 2,000 to construction workers," he said.

"As per the World Bank, the definition of below poverty line is (income of) Rs 144 per day. The rickshaw and taxi drivers fall in the unorganized sector which is facing trouble. The details of taxi and rickshaw drivers with permits are available with the RTO," the former chief minister said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)