From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Jun 22: Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday launched the scheme for providing Covid compensation cash relief of Rs 3,000 each to 20,713 artistes in the State.
The total cash relief for artistes being released through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode into bank accounts amounts to Rs 6.23 crore.
Speaking at the function after symbolically launching the scheme through DBT mode, the Chief Minister said the cash relief to the artistes was part of the Rs 2,050 crore compensation package announced by him for the Covid 19 Second Wave. The scheme for distributing cash relief to fruits, flowers and vegetables growers, construction workers, street vendors has already been implemented and the cash relief through DBT for the other categories will be done soon, he said.
The government had sanctioned monetary relief to the artistes during the Covid first wave too. Approval for transparent distribution of the compensation amount by inviting applications through the Seva Sindhu portal after due verification has also been given and all the registered beneficiaries could check their Aadhar linked bank accounts if the money has reached them or not, he said.
The Chief Minister said the artistes and other section of beneficiaries must mandatorily follow the Covid safety guidelines and avail of the facility of free distribution of vaccine so as to protect themselves. The relaxation of lockdown restrictions in some of the districts does not mean that the danger of Covid pandemic has gone and it is the responsibility of all citizens to follow the prescribed norms to protect and maintain their health.
Kannada and Culture and Forest Minister Aravind Limbavali said the State Government had released cash relief to over 17,000 artistes last year as part of the Covid package during the first wave and the present release to cover over twenty thousand beneficiaries was indicative of the government’s concern.
Chief Minister’s Advisor M Lakshminarayana, Secretary Dr S Selvakumar, Kannada and Culture Department Secretary J Ravishankar and Director S Rangappa were among those who were present.