New Delhi, May 17 (KNN) Welcoming the extension of lockdown in Delhi by another week, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) asked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to give financial assistance to traders.

Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary General, CAIT on Sunday said that shops and markets are closed and there is no inflow of money whereas the outflow of money continues in terms of meeting family and establishment expenses like salary of the employees, electricity bills, water bills, property tax, payment of EMIs, interest on loans etc. 

''Because traders are the tax collectors for the government, we have an absolute right to demand such financial facilities from the government,'' he said.

''It is to be noted that during the previous lockdown last year, the traders were not given even a single rupee in any of the package announced by the government and at a time when traders were trying to recover their business, the second wave further thrashed their business and therefore a financial package will help them in recovering from the huge damages caused to them,'' Khandewal added.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced extension of COVID-19 lockdown in the national capital till May 24.

"We are extending the lockdown for one more week. Instead of tomorrow, lockdown is extended till next Monday, 5am in Delhi," Kejriwal said while speaking to reporters.

Kejriwal said that the lockdown is being extended as the gains made so far in combating Covid-19 cannot be lost due to relaxations now.