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Karnataka announces ₹1,610 cr Covid-19 relief package
The Covid-19 relief package will benefit farmers, MSMEs, handloom weavers, flower growers, washermen, barbers and autorickshaw and taxi drivers in Karnataka.
The Karnataka government on Wednesday announced a ₹1,610 crore Covid-19 relief package, chief minister B S Yediyurappa.
The relief package will benefit farmers, MSMEs, handloom weavers, flower growers, washermen, barbers and autorickshaw and taxi drivers among others.
“A package of Rs. 1610 crores will be released as Covid-19 financial package. One time compensation of ₹5000 will be given to 230,000 barbers and 775,000 drivers,” Yediyurappa said according to ANI.
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The chief minister also appealed to migrant workers from other states not to leave since construction work has started again.
“We have sent around 1 lakh people in 3500 buses and trains, back to their hometowns. I have also appealed to the migrant workers to stay as the construction work has resumed now,” he said.
A statement from the chief minister’s office said the government has also decided to waive monthly fixed charges of electricity bills of MSMEs for two months because “MSMEs have also suffered huge production losses due to lockdown.”
The statement also said that payment of fixed charges in the Electricity bills of the large industries will be deferred without penalty and interest for a period of two months.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Karnataka government decided not to pay the additional instalments of dearness allowances with effect from January 1, 2020 to government employees and pensioners because of the crisis triggered by Covid-19 pandemic.
While the additional instalments of Dearness Allowance due from July 1, 2020 and January 1, 2021 shall also not be released until further orders, the government said it will continue to pay Dearness Allowance at the existing rates.
Meanwhile, the state health department said 19 more Covid-19 between 5 pm Tuesday and Wednesday noon were reported in the state. The total number of Covid-19 cases in the state is now 692, including 345 who have been discharged. There have been 29 casualties.
