The Karnataka government on Thursday announced a Rs 162-crore financial relief package for vegetable, fruit growers and weavers of power looms, who are in distress because of COVID-19 induced lockdown.
Farmers who had grown vegetables in 50,083 hectares (ha) and those who had grown fruits in 41,054 ha will be given Rs 15,000 per ha amounting to Rs 137 crores, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister JC Madhuswamy said.
This was in line with earlier commitments made by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa when he announced Rs 1,610 crore relief to farmers, barbers and taxi drivers, among others. He had noted that similar assistance would be provided to these sectors, he told reporters in Bengaluru.
The latest package covers growers of fruits like banana, papaya, table grapes, anjura, pineapple, watermelon and muskmelon, among others as these did not get marketed.
Vegetables include tomato, green chilli, cauliflower, cabbage, pumpkin, carrot, onion, capsicum, among others.
Madhuswamy said the Rs 2,000 assistance given to hanloom workers was being extended to weavers working in 1.25 lakh power loom units as a one-time relief as well.
One weaver working in each of these power looms units will be given Rs 2,000, which will amount to a total of Rs 25 crore, he added.
The Yediyurappa government had last week announced relief measures, including compensation of Rs 5,000 each to thousands of washermen, barbers, auto rickshaw and taxi drivers, whose livelihood has been affected due to the COVID- 19 lockdown.
It had also given relief to farmers, Rs 25,000/ha compensation for affected flower-growers, certain relaxation in electricity bills for MSMEs and large industries, a deposit of Rs 2,000 directly to the bank account of the handloom weaver, and Rs 3,000 to building workers.