Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapaddi Palaniswami has, on Tuesday, awarded a major relief to the middle-class and daily waged people by relaxing their burdens of paying the loans to the co-operatives at the high time when most of the people have been stranded under the economic instability amid the complete lockdown that has been imposed to curb the spread of the Coronavirus in the state.

The Chief Minister announced that the time for paying the dues for co-operative loans and other payments have been extended by three months and this deferred payment relief would be applicable for the people who pay farm loan installments to the co-operative banks, housing loan installments to the co-operative banks and the Tamil Nadu Housing Board and along with that, the time for paying loan installments to the fishery and handloom co-operative have also been extended.

Edappadi Palaniswami said that the property tax and the water tax that are payable to the local bodies have been extended by three months up to June 30. He stated that the fund of Rs 200 crore will be allotted for funding the needs of micro, small, and medium companies, and the state government has also extended the renewal period of driving licenses and acquiring fitness certificates for the vehicles till June 30th and the government has also deferred the time for loan payments to the Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation and the loan payments to the SIPCOT- State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu.

These economic relief measures have come at a crucial time when the middle-class and low-income class people have been ought to lose their pay due to the shutdown of the companies and closures of the private establishments across the state as part of the state's mechanisms to combat the spread of the virus. On Tuesday, the state government has directed the landlords not to collect one month's rent from the workers including migrant workers.

According to the order issued by the Chief Secretary of the state government on Tuesday, the landlords in the state shouldn't demand the payment of rent for one month from the workers including migrants who are rented for the accommodation in their properties and the government has warned the landlords that they will be liable for action if they force the laborers and students to vacate their premises.

The other state migrant workers who have moved out to reach their homes states should be kept under the nearest shelter by the respective district collector and Commissioner, Greater Chennai Corporation after the proper screening for 14 days as per the health protocol. Earlier, the state government has announced that it would procure over 14 lakh packets of basic food supplies and the aid package will be distributed to the workers of the unorganized sector in the state. 

Also read: Don't collect rent from the workers - Tamil Nadu Gov to the landlords!