Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced a Rs 1.70 lakh crore relief package for those who need immediate help in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak.
“Government of India announces #PradhanMantriGareebKalyanYojana – a relief package with a total outlay of ₹1,70,000 crore. To benefit Farmers, migrant workers, Urban & Rural poor, Women, Divyang etc,” Sitharaman said.
Sitharaman announced Rs 50 lakh per person health insurance cover for healthcare workers including Doctors, nurses, who are busy helping people to fight against the COVID-19 virus.
Addressing a press conference, Sitharaman said each household will get 5 kg of rice or wheat in addition to the existing 5 kg they already get under the government scheme for the next three months so that nobody remains hungry.
The Finance Minister said 8.69 crore farmers will be benefited through direct cash transfers of Rs 2,000 in the first week of April as the first instalment to meet the immediate cash requirement in the view of Covid-19 outbreak.
The finance Minister said that 8 crore BPL families will get free cylinders for three months under the Ujjawala scheme as well.
An additional one time ex-gratia amount of Rs 1,000 in two installments to 3 crore old age persons, poor widows and Divyangs over next 3 months through DBT, Sitharaman said.
