Karnataka Chief Minister B.S Yediyurappa on Wednesday announced a special relief package worth 1610 crore that is set to benefit a cross-section of people especially autorickshaw drivers, barbers, washermen, taxi drivers, flower growers, weavers and other small and large industrialists.
Flower growers have suffered huge losses with no customers at markets and religious sites being closed due to lockdown. They are being given a one-time compensation of ₹25,000 per hectare. Mr. Yediyurappa added that a similar package for vegetable growers is in the pipeline.
To revive the MSMEs, the CM announced that the monthly fixed charges in electricity bills would be waived for 2 months. As a relief to construction workers, the government will provide a one-time compensation of ₹2000 to close to 11.8 lakh of the 15.8 lakh registered workers.
Washermen and barbers both in rural and urban will get ₹5000 as one time relief.
Mr. Yediyurappa said that the partial easing of lockdown was necessary to revive the economy while fighting COVID-19 at the same time.