BENGALURU: To help citizens who have lost their livelihoods and incurred losses due to the COVID19 second wave lockdown, the Karnataka government announced an economic relief package on Wednesday.
Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said at a cost of Rs 1250 crores, financial compensation, food security and moratorium has been extended to the most vulnerable sections of the citizenry in the State to mitigate the adverse impact of the lockdown. Karnataka has been under corona curfew since April 24.
"The economic relief package is to help farmers, unorganised sector workers and comes at a cost of more than Rs 1250 crores. Despite the financial crunch we are facing we are announcing this package," BS Yediyurappa said. Rs 10,000 compensation has been announced for floriculture and horticulture farmers for losses due to the lockdown. Some 20,000 floriculture farmers and 69,000 horticulture farmers are expected to benefit out of this announcement, the Chief Minister said.
"Licensed and registered auto drivers and cab drivers will be given Rs 3000 financial assistance. About 2.10 lakh persons are estimated to benefit out of this. Rs 3000 will also be transferred to the bank accounts of construction workers registered with construction workers welfare board," BS Yediyurappa said.
Rs 2000 financial assistance has also been announced for unorganised sector workers like barbers, washermen, mechanics, leather workers, carpenters, tailors, coolies, ragpickers, household helps and street vendors. An estimated 3.04 lakh persons from the unorganised sector and 2.2 lakh street vendors registered with Atmanirbhar funds are set to benefit from the announcement, the chief minister said.
Artists and artist groups registered with Kanada and culture department will receive Rs 3000. Schedule for repayment of loans availed by farmers and self-help groups from cooperative societies, land banks etc have been extended by three months. Apart from distributing five-kilo rice for each beneficiary already registered under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana and antyodaya scheme for May and June months free of cost, the State government will include an additional 30 lakh beneficiaries under this scheme and spend Rs 180 crore so benefits are extended to them.
Those who have applied for BPL ration cards but haven't received it yet will be given free 10 kilo rice for May and June while those awaiting APL cards will be given subsidised 10 kilo rice at Rs 15 per kilo.
The Karnataka government last year during the first COVID19 lockdown had announced an economic relief package of Rs 1610 crore which included electricity subsidies for MSMEs, citizens and small businesses apart from financial assistance to vulnerable sections.
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