PM's Garib Kalyan Package: What You Need to Know
Guwahati: The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, has envisioned a Rs 1.70 lakh Crore package under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana to help the poor fight against the Coronavirus. Here's what you need to know:
As per the package, each health worker will be given insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh each.
Additionally, 80 crore people who belong to the "poor" category will be given the benefit of 5 kg wheat or rice per person for the next 3 months.
Each household will also receive 1 kilo of pulses for the next 3 months.
Moreover, 20 crore women Jan Dhan Account Holders will get Rs 500 per month for the next 3 months.
Free gas cylinders shall also be provided to 8 crore poor families for the next 3 months.
The PM also announced an increase in MNREGA wages to Rs 202 a day from Rs 182. This, the Government believes, will benefir 13.62 crore families.
Furthermore, an ex-gratia of Rs 1,000 has been announced for 3 crore poor citizens, poor widows and poor Divyang.
Rs 2,000 shall also be paid to farmers under existing PM-Kisan to benefit 8.7 crore farmers.
Workers will now be eligible to receive benefits under the Building and Construction Workers Welfare Fund.
Additionally, 24% of monthly wages will not be credited into their PF accounts for the next three months for wage earners below Rs 15,000 per month in businesses having less than 100 workers.
Moreover, five crore workers registered under the Employee Provident Fund EPF will get non-refundable advance of the 75% of the amount or three months of the wages, whichever is lower, from their accounts.
The limit of collateral free lending is to be increased from Rs 10 to Rs 20 lakhs for Women Self Help Groups supporting 6.85 crore households.
District Mineral Fund (DMF) is also to be used for supplementing and augmenting facilities of medical testing, screening, etc.