PremiumKarnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has announced Covid-19 relief package of ₹1,250 crore on Wednesday. The Karnataka government said it will provide ₹3,000 each for auto/taxi drivers and construction workers; and ₹2,000 for workers in the unorganised sector.
"Our government had given financial packages to various sectors during the COVID first wave. Despite that, as the current restrictions have affected the livelihood of those with unorganised sector and farmers, to mitigate its impact we are announcing a relief programme of more than ₹1,250 crore," Yediyurappa said.
Further, CM Yediyurappa said ₹10,000 relief will be given to growers for per hectare loss. He said the relief will benefit about 20,000 farmers and may cost ₹12.73 crore.
For the losses suffered by fruit and vegetable growers, ₹10,000 per ha financial relief will be given to growers, limiting it to one hectare, the CM added.
Besides, ₹3,000 each relief to auto, taxi and maxi cab drivers will provide benefit to 2.10 lakh beneficiaries and it may cost ₹63 crore, CM Yediyurappa added.
He said that ₹3,000 each will be given to labourers who have registered with Karnataka Building And Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, costing ₹494 crore.
" ₹2,000 each will be given to those under unorganised sector like barbers, washermen, tailor, porters, ragpickers, potters, goldsmiths, mechanics, blacksmith, household workers, cobblers, among others, benefiting 3.04 lakh people, and will cost about ₹60.89 crore," the Karnataka CM said.
Roadside vendors, those registered under Aatma Nirbhar package will be given ₹2,000 each, he said, adding that it will benefit about 2.20 lakh people and cost ₹44 crore. Also, artists and art teams will be given ₹3,000 each, benefiting 16,095 beneficiaries and will cost ₹4.82 crore.
CM Yediyurappa said his government was announcing the package despite the state facing financial constraints, and is standing by the people during this difficult time.
The Chief Minister also said a decision will be taken on extending the current lockdown, due to the surge in coronavirus cases. In fact, several leaders, including ministers, have expressed themselves in favour of extending it, to control the spread of Covid-19.
The state government had initially announced 14 days "close down" from April 27, but subsequently imposed a complete lockdown from May 10 to May 24, as the Covid-19 cases continued to spike.
PM Narendra Modi spoke to senior officials and took stock of the operations being undertaken to rescue personnel on the ONGC barge.
The Chief Minister also announced that Karnataka has purchased order for over three crore vaccine doses at a cost of ₹1,000 crore.
₹50,000 from SDRF fund will be given in advance for each Gram panchayat, the CM added.
Also, as many as 2,150 doctors will be appointed within three days to facilitate Covid treatment, the CM said.
Meanwhile, the state received 2 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine on Wednesday as part of the order placed by the state government, Karnataka Health minister Dr K Sudhakar said.
Karnataka has been witnessing a surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths. The state is one of the worst affected states by the coronavirus pandemic. It reported 30,309 new COVID-19 cases and 525 deaths on Tuesday.
The total case tally in the state has reached 22,72,374, with 5,75,028 active cases and 22,838 fatalities so far.
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