Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru (SD)

Bengaluru, May 9: The government of Karnataka has announced one-time financial relief to over 11,000 cobbler families in the state. Each of the families affected due to the ongoing lockdown would receive an amount of Rs 5,000.

Deputy chief minister Govind Karjol said that the chief minister B S Yediyurappa has made the announcement of giving financial relief to each of the families an amount of Rs 5,000.

Karjol, who is also the in-charge of social welfare department on Friday, May 8 said, "Due to COVID-19 lockdown about 11,722 families involved in road side leather work, like mending chappals and shoes, are in financial distress and their daily life has been affected." He added saying that the relief would be distributed to the beneficiaries through Ram Leather Industries Corporation.

Opposition leader Siddaramaiah led a delegation and met the chief minister Yediyurappa and demanded the inclusion of other sections such as the goldsmiths, carpenters, cobblers, tailors and ironsmiths under the relief package.

Yediyurappa led government had earlier announced a relief package of Rs 1,610 crore to help families in distress due to the lockdown.

The package included a compensation of Rs 5,000 each to washermen, barbers, auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers whose daily life is crippled.