2 months free grain to migrant workers

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday in the second installment of the Rs 20 lakh crore package under the 'Self-reliant India' campaign to provide free grain to migrant laborers, cheaper loans to farmers and working capital loans to street vendors Announced measures of Rs. The Finance Minister said that 8 crore migrant laborers will be provided 5 kg per person grain and one kg dal (gram) per family free for 2 months. The scheme will cover migrant workers who do not come under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) or do not have a ration card where they are living. 3,500 crore will be spent for this. State governments will be responsible for the implementation of this scheme. They have to identify migrant laborers and distribute food grains. With this the ration card will be made 'portable'. That is, migrant workers will be able to use the ration card in any state. By March 2021, the system of 'one country, one ration card' will be fully implemented.

The Finance Minister said that arrangements will also be made to provide houses of low rent to the migrant laborers. He said that 14.62 crore man-days of employment were created in the last 2 months under MNREGA to help migrant laborers. A total of Rs 10,000 crore was spent on this. He said that till May 13, 2.33 crore workers were given employment. The Finance Minister said that the government is working on reforms. This includes implementing the same minimum wage across the country. For this, a minimum wage structure will be prepared at the national level.

It may be noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced an economic relief package of Rs 20 lakh crore to provide relief to various sectors of the economy affected by Corona.

Housing subsidy scheme extended till March 2021

To give a boost to the housing sector, it has been announced to expand the subsidy scheme of Rs 70,000 crore for affordable houses for middle income group. The period of subsidy benefit under the scheme has been extended by one year. The 'Credit Linked Subsidy' scheme for the middle income group with an annual income of six lakh to 18 lakhs has been in operation since May 2017 and was earlier extended to March 2020. According to the Finance Minister, 2.5 lakh middle class families will benefit from extending this scheme for one year.

30 thousand crores to farmers through NABARD

A concessional loan of Rs 2 lakh crore will be made available to 2.5 crore farmers through 'Kisan Credit Card'. The Finance Minister said that National Agricultural and Rural Development Bank (NABARD) will provide additional emergency working capital fund of Rs 30,000 crore in May and June to farmers after harvesting of rabi crops and for the current kharif crop needs. This amount will be made available through rural cooperative banks and regional rural banks.

2% discount on Mudra Shishu loan interest

To give relief to small traders, the Finance Minister announced a 2 per cent interest subsidy on Mudra-Shishu loans of Rs 50,000 under the Mudra scheme. Apart from this, a special loan facility of Rs 5,000 crore was also announced for the people of Rehri, Patari and Khomche. Under this, capital up to Rs 10,000 will be provided. According to the Finance Minister, this will help 50 lakh villagers, track people. Also announced to accelerate employment at a cost of 6,000 crores from CAMPA Fund.

Congress said - Khoda Pahar, Jumla turned out

New Delhi (Agency): The Congress accused Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of making announcements on the second day related to the economic package that no relief was given to the migrant workers and the government's behavior was a 'mixture of ignorance, arrogance, insensitivity' . Party's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted, "Announcements on the second day of the economic package of Nirmala Sitharaman means - Khoda Pahad, Nikla Jumla." Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his hope for the economic package. Woke up, she was left behind. Party spokesperson Manish Tiwari said, "We hoped that the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister would apologize to the migrant workers and rectify the mistakes." But they worked by sprinkling salt on the burn. The way the government was introduced is a mixture of ignorance, arrogance and insensitivity. The government is giving only Rs 3500 crore to the workers in the Rs 20 lakh crore package, which are the worst affected in this disaster. ”Party spokesperson Supriya Srinet said that it is not a Rs 20 lakh crore package, but a loan fair.