Karnataka in favour of lifting lockdown in districts not affected by COVID-19: CM

Bengaluru, Apr 8 () The Karnataka government is infavour of lifting the coronavirus lockdown in districts whichremained free of the virus infection, subject to approval fromthe Centre, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said on Wednesday.

In an interview to here, he also said the stateintended to relax liquor sales, stopped since the 21-daylockdown was imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19, afterApril 14 in a bid to increase state revenues.

The chief minister said the state's legislators wouldtake a 30 per cent salary cut.

According to officials, there were no COVID-19 cases in12 districts of the total 30 districts in the state. As on Wednesday, there were 181 COVID-19 cases in thestate, including 5 deaths and 28 discharges. If the Prime Minister suggests to states to take decision(on lock-down) based on the situation in their respectivestates, my position is to take a call (on roll-back) indistricts free from COVID-19, Yediyurappa said. This is to allow people to go about their business andmove about within the district and not from one district toanother, after April 14, after taking the approval of thePrime Minister, he said. KSU RSVS VS