The Karnataka government on Wednesday announced more financial support to the 15.8 lakh construction workers, even as a Labour Department official said that migrant labour was moving between different districts with negligible movement to other states.
"We have decided to provide Rs 3,000 each to 15.8 lakh registered construction workers in the state. This is over and above Rs 2,000 each already being transferred to their accounts," said Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said.
"To support large industries to overcome lockdown difficulties we have decided that payment of fixed charges in electricity bills of large industries will be deferred without penalty and interest for two months," he said.
Karnataka government has also waived two-months fixed electricity bills of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), including similar support to daily-wagers like barbers, taxi drivers, autorickshaw drivers and washermen.
Meanwhile, the Labour Department official said that migrant labourers are mostly moving in the districts but not out of the state.
He said such situation prevailed in Bengaluru. "We are in touch with migrant workers, and distributed food kits to them on Tuesday," said the official.
In the past three days, the department has distributed 30,000 food kits to construction workers in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahangara Palike (BBMP), Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru Rural areas.
The official, however, said that the exact number of migrant labourers in Karnataka is not available. "We do not have the data on migrant labourers," he said.
He said the department stopped collecting information on migrant labourers from 28 districts a week ago.
On Tuesday, Yediyurappa held a meeting with builders to discuss about the migrant labour issue.
"Covid situation in the state is in control in comparison to other states. The builders said that the labourers were given all essential facilities and construction activities have already started," tweeted Yediyurappa.
( With inputs from IANS )