Welcoming the Chief Minister’s ₹ 1,610-crore relief package for workers in the unorganised sector, Karnataka State Headload Workers Federation has urged Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to include them also under the package.
In a press release issued here on Wednesday, State general secretary of the federation Mahesh Pattar has said that in the wake of further extension of lockdown to fight the pandemic, crores of workers in the unorganised sector have been left in the lurch as they have their lost their sources of livelihood.
Terming the Chief Minister’s package as a welcome move, he, however, pointed out that the package had left out several sections of unorganised sector, including headload workers (hamalis), tailors, mechanics, domestic maids, beedi workers and roadside vendors.
Mr. Pattar has said that among the workers of the unorganised sector, the life of the hamalis was full of hardships and their work required more physical strength.
“They play an important role in commodity trade but are still backward economically and socially. Barring those working at APMC yards and government warehouses, the others are struggling to make ends meet,” he has said.
As there was no work for them, nearly four to five lakh hamalis were struggling in the State. The Chief Minister should immediately take steps to include these workers under the relief package, Mr. Pattar has urged.