Bengaluru, Jun 3 (UNI) Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa here on Thursday announced the extension of the state-wide lockdown till June 14, to stem the transmission of the COVID-19, which had claimed over 30,000 lives in the state.
Addressing a press conference, the Chief Minister also announced a second financial relief of Rs 500 crore for the people, who had been badly affected by the lockdown.
Mr Yediyurappa said that the decision to extend the lockdown was in line with the advice of the COVID-19 Technical Advisory Committee.
After June 14, Mr Yediyurappa said, the state government will be ready to relax the norms, provided the cases come down. “If the test positivity rate reduces to 5 pc and if people cooperate, then the government is ready to completely relax norms and lift the lockdown,” he said.Explaining the financial reliefs, Mr Yediyurappa said the government will provide a compensation of Rs 3,000 for every person employed in power looms, film and Doordarshan, fisheries, muzrai staff and Imams in mosques.
Also, the ASHA workers will get a compensation of Rs 3,000 each, while Anganwadi workers will get Rs 2,000. As teachers in unaided schools struggle to make ends meet, the government has extended compensation of Rs 5,000 for them, he said.
Further, the government will also contribute Rs 5 crore towards lawyers' welfare fund, Mr Yediyurappa said. The compensation amount will be processed within a week, he added.
Under the lockdown, essential stores will remain functional from 0600 hrs to 2200 hrs and the movement of people will be restricted except for emergencies and vaccination purposes. The time period for essential services will be again from 0600 hrs to 2200 hrs.
Mr Yediyurappa said after 1000 hrs all shops will close, only construction, manufacturing and agriculture sectors will be allowed to function and public transport will remain shut.
He also said concerned deputy commissioners have been given permission to impose lockdown strictly on the basis of the situation in respective districts.
Opposition JD(S) and Congress had also favoured the lockdown extension to save the lives of the people.
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