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State govt’s financial package an ‘eyewash’: Congress
Bengaluru The Karnataka Congress on Friday termed the ₹1,250-crore relief package announced by the BS Yediyurappa-led government an “eyewash” while alleging the amount was not sufficient to address the growing distress in the state due to the Covid-19 pandemic
Bengaluru
The Karnataka Congress on Friday termed the ₹1,250-crore relief package announced by the BS Yediyurappa-led government an “eyewash” while alleging the amount was not sufficient to address the growing distress in the state due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Attacking the state government, Congress leaders Krishna Byre Gowda and Priyank Kharge said the most effective way to revive the economy amid the pandemic was to give money directly to the poor.
“If one rupee is spent, it rotates at least five times in our economy. For economic revival and to kickstart and stimulate it, giving money to the poor is 100% effective…,” Gowda said.
“These (government) people do not have the heart to help the poor. They need to have common sense that to revive the economy, even if you cannot create new jobs but to protect existing ones, saving existing companies can be done by helping the poor,” he added.
CM Yediyurappa on May 19 had announced a financial relief package for a section of the people who have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns that have affected their livelihood and income. “To provide relief to people who have lost income and livelihood due to the 2nd wave of Covid-19, ₹1,250 crore of economic support has been sanctioned to farmers, workers from the unorganised sector, auto and cab drivers, street vendors among others,” Yediyurappa said in a post on Twitter.
Several sections of people including domestic help, auto and cab drivers among others were left out of the financial package and were unlikely to get any relief, HT reported.
The state is under the lockdown till June 7.
Last year, the state government had announced two packages, amounting to around ₹2,100 crore, but there were allegations that most of this did not reach the intended groups.
Karnataka, like other states in the country, has seen thousands of livelihoods being affected due to the lockdown, with many people having to survive on help and relief supplied mostly by volunteer groups.
“A package of ₹5,000 was announced for 775,000 auto and taxi drivers. But only 214,000 drivers got the benefit,” Gowda said, adding that several people were yet to receive the benefit of the financial package announced last year. He said only ₹58 crore was disbursed to horticulture farmers as against the allocation of ₹137 crore.
“In last year’s package, from what they had announced, around ₹700 to ₹800 crore has still not been given,” Gowda added.
