Unveiling the second instalment of measures being taken to revive the economy, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday showered sops for migrant labourers, farmers, and urban poor. This came a day after the central government announced a set of 15 relief measures related to MSMEs, NBFCs, real estate sector, etc, worth Rs 6 lakh crore in a view to making India self-reliant (Aatma Nirbhar) India.
Support of Rs 4,200 crore has been allocated towards rural infrastructure. Apart from which, the government also announced that PM CARES Fund Trust has decided to allocate Rs 3,100 crore for the fight against COVID-19, out of which nearly Rs 2,000 crore will be earmarked for purchasing ventilators and Rs 1000 crore for migrant labourers.
In the line of the announcement made by the Finance Minister on Thursday, over eight crore migrants, not covered under National Food Security Act or State’s scheme, will get free food grains for two months at places where they are stationed at present. Sitharaman also announced nine steps-three for migrants, two for farmers and particularly small farmers and one each related to Mudra, street vendors, housing and employment for tribals.
Here are the key announcements in FinMin’s speech today,
- The government will offer 5 kg of grains per person and 1 kg Chana per family per month for two months to migrants
- ‘One Nation-One Ration Card’ scheme has also been expanded to enable migrant beneficiaries to access the public distribution system
- Urban poor, migrant labourers urban or rural will be offered an affordable rental housing scheme
- Government plans to bring 2.5 crores more farmers under Kisan Credit Card to help them access a concessional loan from banks amounting ₹2 lakh crore
- It has also decided to provide ₹30,000-crore finance mainly to small and marginal farmers
