<p class="title">Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda on Saturday announced that he contributed Rs 1 lakh each to PM-CARES, Karnataka Chief Minister's Relief Fund and Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund. In his latest letter addressed to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, Gowda criticised the government for enforcing the lockdown hurriedly without considering proper safeguards for farmers. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Former chief minsiter H D Kumaraswamy on Saturday urged the government to immediately announce a relief package for farmers by way of direct benefit transfer and purchase of all their agricultural produce.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Owing to the lockdown, farmers have been unable to find market for their produce. The government must announce relief so as to avoid farmer suicides, Kumaraswamy said in tweets. "On one hand we see farmers throwing their produce in despair and losing their livelihoods. On the other, supplies to towns are depleting. This is threatening both lives and livelihood. Government must act swiftly and effectively," the JD(S) leader said. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Earlier too, the JD(S) had asked the government to ensure market for farmers, following the suicide of a watermelon farmer in Chincholi, Kalaburagi, who was unable to sell his produce amid the ensuing crisis. </p>.<p class="bodytext">On the same issue, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D K Shivakumar on Saturday appealed to all political leaders, elected representatives and party workers to purchase fruits and vegetables from farmers at market rates and distribute them to the poor free of cost. Shivakumar also criticised the government.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Farmers are expecting relief from the government, but they are suffering as help isn't reaching them on time," he said.</p>
<p class="title">Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda on Saturday announced that he contributed Rs 1 lakh each to PM-CARES, Karnataka Chief Minister's Relief Fund and Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund. In his latest letter addressed to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, Gowda criticised the government for enforcing the lockdown hurriedly without considering proper safeguards for farmers. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Former chief minsiter H D Kumaraswamy on Saturday urged the government to immediately announce a relief package for farmers by way of direct benefit transfer and purchase of all their agricultural produce.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Owing to the lockdown, farmers have been unable to find market for their produce. The government must announce relief so as to avoid farmer suicides, Kumaraswamy said in tweets. "On one hand we see farmers throwing their produce in despair and losing their livelihoods. On the other, supplies to towns are depleting. This is threatening both lives and livelihood. Government must act swiftly and effectively," the JD(S) leader said. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Earlier too, the JD(S) had asked the government to ensure market for farmers, following the suicide of a watermelon farmer in Chincholi, Kalaburagi, who was unable to sell his produce amid the ensuing crisis. </p>.<p class="bodytext">On the same issue, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D K Shivakumar on Saturday appealed to all political leaders, elected representatives and party workers to purchase fruits and vegetables from farmers at market rates and distribute them to the poor free of cost. Shivakumar also criticised the government.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Farmers are expecting relief from the government, but they are suffering as help isn't reaching them on time," he said.</p>
