‘No One Will Go Hungry’: Finance Ministry Announces Rs 1.7 Lakh Crore Package For Urban And Rural Poor

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while addressing a press conference on Thursday (26 March) announced that the Ministry is ready with a Rs 1.7 lakh crore package for the immediate help of migrant workers and urban-rural poor.

While assuring that no one will go hungry in the country, the Finance Minister said that the disbursement of the Rs 1.7 lakh crore package under the Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojana will begin immediately.

She added that under the Pradhan Mantri Anna Yojana 5 Kg of rice or wheat will be provided to 80 crore Indians for free in the next three months over and above the allocation they already receive via the PDS system. The beneficiaries will also receive 1 Kg of pulses during this period.

They will be able to collect the grains in two instalments during the three month period.

The Finance Minister also announced an additional cash benefit of Rs 1,000 for the elderly, divyang and pensioners - which will be transferred to their bank accounts via the direct benefit transfer scheme in two instalments.

Over 8 crore BPL beneficiaries of the Ujjwala scheme will get free cylinders in the next three months. An additional payment of Rs 500 per month will be made to 20 crore women Jan Dhan account holders.

Farmers who get Rs 6,000 annually under PM-Kisan scheme will get first instalment of Rs 2,000 immediately in the first week of April to avoid any shortage of cash.

MGNREGA wages will be increased to help over 5 Crore families. Every worker under coming under the scheme get an average hike of Rs 2000.