Vegetable vendors in KR Market say they did not receive any financial help from the state government during and after the Covid-induced lockdowns.
Krishnappa, a vegetable seller, informed The Observer: “The government had promised us loans from banks, but nothing of that sort happened.”
Krishnappa, who earlier used to earn Rs 3,000 a day, now makes a mere Rs 200.
Nagamma, a fruit seller, spoke about how after the lockdown she could only earn Rs 300 to Rs 500 — barely enough to support her family as the sole wage earner. The government did not assure them of any loans or any other financial help.
Vello, another vegetable seller, said during and after the lockdowns, all he earns is Rs 500 a day.
Bheema Gamakar, who sells vegetables at the market, alleged: “The government does not care about poor people like us.” He earns Rs 500 daily.
Asked about it, a BBMP official who did not wanted to be named said the vegetable sellers are well-off and do not need any financial support.
“They are wealthy people and are only pretending to be poor so that they can enjoy the benefits of schemes facilitated by the government,” he said.
He denied the allegations of the vegetable vendors that the state government did not give them any loans. “Each member of the family was given a loan of Rs 10,000 under the PM CARES Fund…. ever since the Covid lockdown was announced. Over 10,000 of them got loans under PM CARES.”
The central government had launched the Prime Minister Street Vendors Atmanirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) with the aim of providing micro-credit facilities to street vendors whose livelihoods had been affected due to the pandemic.
ahona.r@iijnm.org
