Karnataka announces third lockdown relief package worth Rs 512 crore

Yediyurappa announced the package at a press conference in Bengaluru and said 10 lakh maize farmers would get a one-time payment of Rs 5,000 each, which would cost the state exchequer Rs 500 crore.

The BS Yediyurappa-led Bharatiya Janata Party government (BJP) in Karnataka on Friday announced its third economic relief package worth Rs 512 crore for those affected by the lockdown restrictions, which were imposed by the central government to contain the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak.

Farmer Kannaiyan Subramaniam seen at work in his field at the Tamil Nadu – Karnataka border. (HT Photo)

Yediyurappa announced the package at a press conference in Bengaluru and said 10 lakh maize farmers would get a one-time payment of Rs 5,000 each, which would cost the state exchequer Rs 500 crore. Also, the 40,500 ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) in the state, who have been at the forefront of the anti-Covid-19 fight, have been given a one-time incentive of Rs 3,000 each and that would entail an additional expenditure of Rs 12.5 crore for the state.

Earlier on May 6, Yediyurappa had announced a relief package worth Rs 1,610 crore. The state government had decided to pay Rs 25,000 per hectare up to a maximum of one hectare. Around 60,000 washermen and 230,000 barbers were given a one-time compensation of Rs 5,000 each. Also, 7.75 lakh auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers were also given Rs 5,000 each as a one-time measure since they were deprived of their earnings due to the lockdown restrictions.

On Thursday, the Karnataka CM had announced the second tranche of Rs 162 crore relief measure primarily aimed at vegetable and fruit growers and handloom workers in the state.

So far, Karnataka has announced Covid-19 related relief packages worth Rs 2,285 crore.

Asked whether further relief packages would be announced for people from other walks of life such as carpenters, electricians, street vendors, etc; who have lost their earnings because of the lockdown restrictions, Yediyurappa said: ‘It’s not possible to keep providing packages to everybody. We’ve tried to help the hardest hit by Covid-19, despite the state’s constrained financial circumstances.”