Kumaraswamy demands Rs 10,000 COVID-19 relief to one crore BPL families

Kolar: Former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday demanded that the Karnataka government give Rs 10,000 as relief to one crore people belonging to the economically weaker section, which is badly hit by the COVID-19 and lockdown.

“I have suggested to the government to give Rs 10,000 to one crore families uniformly. Government will not incur any losses by giving Rs 10,000 because that money would eventually come back to the government’s coffers,” Kumaraswamy told reporters.

Seeking to know whether the government has any information about the condition of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) and teachers, the JD(S) leader said a relief amount of Rs 2,000 or Rs 3,000, as announced by the government, will not suffice.

Kumaraswamy insisted that there was no dearth of funds in the government.

“There was no reduction in taxes from four major sectors. People of the state have paid all their taxes in time.Last year also, the tax recovery met the revenue targets,” he said.

According to him, a large number of people have lost their livelihood. He demanded that the government convene a legislature session immediately to discuss the measures to be taken to bail out people from such a situation and losses due to the COVID-19 induced lockdown.

He warned that his party would launch an agitation if the plea was ignored.