COVID-19 lockdown: Govt announces 1.7 lakh cr package for poor

New Delhi:Almost within 36 hours of 21-day lockdown declared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government on Thursday announced a mega relief package of Rs 1.7 lakh crore to help out the farmers, migrant workers and urban and rural poor.

Briefing media, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said they have come up with Prime Minister Gareeb Kalyan scheme to help the migrant workers and the poor.

Ms Sitharaman said an insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh per person will be given for three months to Covid-19 warriors who are exposing themselves to the virus. They include doctors, paramedics, healthcare workers, sanitation workers, ASHA workers dealing with coronavirus outbreak.

The Finance Minister maintained that that 5 kg extra rice or wheat will be given for the next three months for free apart from 5 kg already being given to 80 crore people. She said that additionally, one kg of  preferred pulses will also be given per family for free.

She made eight special announcements for farmers, MGREGA workers, poor widow pensioners divyang, women under Jan Dhan Yojana, Poor householders under Ujjwala scheme, Self Help Groups, EPFO in organised sector and the District mineral fund.(UNI)