COVID-19 lockdown: Kumaraswamy calls for lowering cost of living

Bengaluru, Apr 27 () Former Karnataka ChiefMinister H D Kumaraswamy has called for citizen-centricmeasures and stressed the need to lower the cost of living, ashe cautioned the state and Central governments about theimpact of COVID-19 lockdown on economy and people in-tuen.

Calling for measures like partial waivers of EMIs,rents, school fees, cut in petrol and diesel prices, the JD(S)leader said, the loss of revenue may be offset partially byimposing COVID cess on the ultra rich.

"According to RBI and international economicassessment agencies, the GDP growth rate of the country isexpected to fall to a historic low. Such a dire situationcalls for citizen centric measures like full or partialwaivers of EMIs, rents, school fees and other levies,"Kumaraswamy tweeted.

Stating that the economy won't bounce back within avery short period, he said, it is important to lower the costof living as spending power of the consumer has depleted.

"The govt must cut the petrol and diesel prices. Theloss of revenue may be offset partially by imposing COVID cesson the ultra rich," he added.

Further, Kumaraswamy said, it is high time thegovernment announced schemes to save livelihoods of people,especially those in the unorganised sector.

The government must provide immediate relief tofarmers, construction workers, cab and auto drivers, garmentworkers, etc, he added.

India's GDP is likely to range between a decline of 0.9 per cent and a growth of 1.5 per cent in the currentfinancial year, with the economy undergoing a "turbulent"phase caused by the coronavirus-induced lockdown, according toa recent report by CII. KSU SS