Days after the Modi-led Indian government faced rife criticism over not declaring any sorts of relief fund while the country’s economy was at doldrums, Economic Task Force, headed by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made key announcements on Thursday. Amidst the crisis, the lower-middle and poor class heaved a sigh of relief over the roll of announcements made during the much-awaited press meet addressed by the FinMin.
Claimed to help the economically weaker sections survive the loss of jobs in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the central government has announced Rs 1.7 lakh-crore scheme which was dubbed as ‘Prime Minister Gareeb Kalyan Yojana’. Including direct benefit cash transfers, free LPG, grains and pulses for the poor, the relief package also allows the employees to withdraw funds from their Employees Provident Fund (EPF) account.
In the line of the key announcements made by the Finance Minister today,
- Prime Minister Gareeb Kalyan Yojana includes both cash transfer and food security
- Besides the 5kg of rice/wheat already dispersed, 5 kg per person will also be given free to around 80 crore people through PDS
- The health care workers including sanitation workers, ASHA workers, doctors, nurses, paramedics who are tirelessly working will be covered under Rs 50 Lakh insurance
- Across the country, three crore widows, pensioners and the specially-abled would receive a one-time ex-gratia payment of Rs 1,000
- 20 crore women who have Jan Dhan accounts, will receive an ex gratia of Rs 500 per month for the next three months
- Nearly 8.3 crores Below Poverty Line families will also get free cooking gas cylinders for the next three months
