Centre to provide Rs 170,000 cr relief package

The Centre on Thursday announced a Rs 170,000 crore worth of relief package to protect the weaker sections of the society from the economic fallout of COVID-19, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said.

Announcing the relief package, the Finance Minister said the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana will benefit migrant workers and rural poor and the women.

The minister said the scheme will work via direct cash transfer, as one set of measures, while another set will include food security-related measures.

"We do not want anyone to remain hungry, so we will be giving enough to take care of their foodgrain requirement, protein requirement in terms of pulses," the minister said.

"On the other hand, they should also not remain without money in hand. So several measures through DBT are being taken so that money reaches them so that they can have money in their hands." IANS