BENGALURU: After Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said he will announce another relief package for sectors that were left out from the first one, more and more sectors have started appealing to the state government to include them.
The CM had recently announced a relief package of Rs 1,111.82 crore for the unorganised sectors and farmers suffering from the month-long lockdown. The package was announced for farmers, construction workers, vendors and autorickshaw/cab drivers. Workers of the film industry, hotels, jewellery business were among those left out.
Former MLC and Karnataka Jewellery Association president Sharavana said there were more than one lakh workers working directly or indirectly in the jewellery industry. “The association is providing ration kits. Jewellery shops are in trouble,” he said.Even hotel associations are demanding the same. They are badly hit despite being allowed to work partially. Karnataka Pradesh Hotel and Restaurants Association president Chandrashekar Hebbar said that earlier they had demanded that hotel workers be included in the first package.
“This was not done. We appeal to the CM to include them in the second package. There are at least 1.5 lakh workers working in hotels, darshinis, lodges, bars, restaurants and bakeries. Many workers have returned to their hometowns due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”The Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy chairman Suneel Puranik met Yediyurappa on Monday and requested him to include workers of the film industry in the package.