Expressing concern that horticulture and floriculture farmers in the State are in deep distress, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda on Monday urged Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to announce a special package to these farmers.

Farmers in Old Mysore, Kalyana Karnataka, and Bombay Karnataka regions are in distress and have fallen into the debt trap. “Farmers have grown high quality fruits and vegetables, but are unable to sell their produce within the State or send it to traditional markets in other States. They are unable to export it either,” Mr. Gowda said in a letter to the Chief Minister.

Appreciating the Chief Minister’s decision to buy excess milk from KMF and distribute it to the poor, Mr. Gowda said: “Even at the cost of dropping schemes that have been announced in the budget, a special package has to be announced for farmers after conducting a survey. If farmers are not bailed out of the crisis, they will end up selling their land and leave agriculture all together,” he said.

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has urged Union government to announce schemes to save livelihoods of people, especially those in the unorganised sector, and provide immediate relief to farmers, construction workers, garment workers, cab and auto drivers, among others.

“According to RBI and international agencies, the GDP growth rate of the country is expected to fall to a historic low. Such a dire situation calls for citizen-centric measures like full or partial waivers of EMIs, rents, school fees and other levies,” he said in a tweet on Monday.

“The economy will not bounce back within a very short period. It is important to lower the cost of living as spending power of the consumer has depleted. The government must cut the petrol and diesel prices. The loss of revenue may be offset partially by imposing COVID cess on the ultra rich,” he said in another tweet.

Sacked employees

Meanwhile, he also held a videoconference with employees of an online gold loan company, which has terminated 600 contract employees from work. The terminated employees approached Mr. Kumaraswamy on Monday seeking his help. The employees said that it may be difficult for them to find another job in the present condition if they are terminated. The former Chief Minister assured them of help in saving their jobs.