FM unveils 1.7 lakh crore economic package for poor and vulnerable sections
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman comes out with Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana to address the needs of rural and urban poor, migrant labourers and daily wage labourers.
By : Kathir Webdesk
Addressing a press conference on Thursday (26th March), the Finance Minister unveiled the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana worth ₹1.7 lakh crores to rescue the rural and urban poor from the impact of COVID-19. The scheme has been divided into two silos – PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana to ensure food security and PM Garib Kalyan Dhan Yojana to ensure financial security. Here are the highlights of the package:
• Thanking the frontliners like ASHA workers, nurses, paramedics and doctors and other who are putting themselves to risk, the Finance Minister announced ₹50 lakh as a medical insurance cover for health care workers
• As part of the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, 80 crore poor people will get 5kg of rice/wheat for free, in addition to what they get currently. Each household to also get 1kg of pulse depending on area
• 3 free LPG cylinders will be given to Ujwalaa beneficiaries over the next 3 months. 8.3 crore BPL families to get benefited from this.
• Women Jan Dhan accounts will get ₹500 for the next three months benefiting around 20.5 Cr accounts
• MNREGA wages have been doubled from ₹182 to ₹202. This is expected to impact 5 crore families
• Widows, poor senior citizens and Divyangs will be given ₹1000 in two instalments in addition to the benefits that they already get
• 8.69 Cr Farmers to get ₹2000 as first instalment of PM Krushak Samman Nidhi immediately through Direct Benefit Transfer
• Employee Provident Fund of both employees & employers which is in essence a solid 24%, will be borne by Government of India for the next 3 months for firms with less than 100 employees where 90% of the employees draw less than ₹15000 per month
• 63 Lakh Self Help Groups will get ₹20 lakh loan without collaterals in place of the existing ₹10 lakh
• Labour welfare fund to the tune of ₹31000 crores has been earmarked to the welfare of construction labourers. State government shall utilise this fund to assist this section.
• District Mineral Fund will be utilised for health related activities