Udupi, Apr 2: The Udupi Administration has given its nod to lift and transport watermelons, pineapples, papaya and Mattu Gulla after growers in the district complained that their produce will go waste and start rotting due to the lockdown on account of COVID-19.
In statement issued here on Thursday, Deputy Commissioner G Jagadeesha said that the administration has already held a meeting with wholesale fruit merchants registered with the Agriculture Marketing Produce Committee (APMC).
It has directed these merchants to purchase 35 tonnes of pineapples, 55 tonnes of watermelons and 5,000 bunches of bananas from growers and sell them within the district and also send them to other districts. Such transportation has been exempted from prohibitory orders, he said.
Bengaluru, Jun 18: Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah has accused the BJP-led government of not passing the benefit of the low price of crude to the common man and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take steps to bring down prices of petroleum products.
Hitting out at the BJP-led government, he termed it as "opportunistic" and said the price of petroleum products were being increased when people were facing difficulties due to COVID-19.
"It is very disheartening to witness and unprecedented opportunistic government which is trying to extract every pound and flesh from the common man, that too when the whole country is suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic. This is in the backdrop of the continuous price hike in the last 10 days," said the letter was written on Wednesday.
The Congress leader said that the policy decisions taken by the government "with respect to managing fuel sources are inconsistent with the prudent measures generally adopted".
"When the price of crude oil was remarkably low in March, April and May 2020, your government was very reluctant to pass on the benefits to the people by reducing the fuel prices proportionately, but, instead, your government continued to capitalise by increasing the excise duty," he said.
He said the government had also "failed" in the last six years to increase the oil storage capacity which could have been used for the country's advantage when the international crude oil price fell really low.
He said the government should roll back the excise duty and help in the reduction of fuel prices.
"The reduced burden will help the common man to have additional money in hand that will be spent on essential goods and services which will ultimately help them tide over these difficult times," he said.
Bengaluru, Apr 12: Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday appealed to the Central government to announce the rent rebate scheme for the benefit of tenants in the wake of economic activities coming to a grinding halt due to COVID-19 related lockdown.
In a series of tweets, Kumaraswamy said people are facing difficulty in paying rent as usual and hence the rent rebate scheme should be initiated.
"Many countries have already announced rent rebate scheme for tenants during COVID19 emergency. It is surprising that Indian Govt has not announced any such relief even to residential tenants. I urge the PM to immediately come to the rescue of everyone living in rented housing," Kumaraswamy tweeted.
He said a considerable workforce and students in metropolitan cities live in hostels and rented houses.
As all economic activity has come to a grinding halt, it is very difficult for them to pay the rent as usual.
The Prime Minister must announce rent rebate scheme, he added.
Highlighting the plight of the tenants, Kumaraswamy said, "If the landlords insist on rent, the tenants cannot even go searching for new accommodation due to the emergency. Hence the government intervention is essential. The PM must announce a comprehensive national rent rebate scheme for COVID-19 emergency."
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We are already facing lot of problems here without food and money.
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