HomeEconomy NewsGovernment announces Rs 1.70 lakh crore relief under Prime Minister Gareeb Kalyan Scheme

Government announces Rs 1.70 lakh crore relief under Prime Minister Gareeb Kalyan Scheme

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced a relief package of Rs 1.70 lakh crore for the poor and those who need immediate help under the Prime Minister Gareeb Kalyan Scheme.

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By CNBC-TV18 March 26, 2020, 3:15:52 PM IST (Updated)

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced a relief package of Rs 1.70 lakh crore for the poor and those who need immediate help under the Prime Minister Gareeb Kalyan Scheme.



The package is expected to benefit migrant workers and rural and urban poor people.

The scheme will consist of PM Gareeb Kalyan Anna Yojana under which 80 crore poor people will get an additional 5 kg of rice or wheat for free for three months. Further 1 kg of pulses will also be given according to their regional preference.

This distribution will be done through Public Distribution Scheme (PDS).

The finance minister said that the cash transfer will be through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

Meanwhile, sources told CNBC-TV18 that additional food grain off-take under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana will cost the government Rs 38,000 crore starting FY21 under food subsidy out of the total package of 1.70 lakh crore announced.

Further, farmers will get the first installment of PM Kisan Yojana as front load of Rs 2,000. Around 8.69 crore farmers will benefit immediately through this, she said.

I n a relief for poor senior citizens, poor women and divyang people,  one time ex-gratia of Rs 1,000 to be given in two installments over the next three months via direct bank transfer. It will benefit 3 crore such people, the FM added.

Moreover, an exgratia amount of Rs 500 per month for the next three months to be transferred through direct bank transfer to 20 crore women Jan Dhan account holders to fight the coronavirus better.

Under the Ujjwala scheme, the FM said, during this lockdown, women will be given free cylinders for the next three months which will benefit 8.3 crore BPL families.

Further, the state governments will be directed to utilize an existing Rs 31,000 crore welfare fund for the benefit for 3.5 crore construction workers, Sitharaman said.

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