With Focus on Farmers, Migrants, Centre Unveils 2nd Tranche of Measures Worth Rs 3.16 Lakh Crore | Top Points

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to announce further measures in coming days to provide a stimulus to the economy which has been worst affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Updated: May 14, 2020 11:25 PM IST

By India.com News Desk | Edited by Manmath Nayak

PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana News Update.

New Delhi: At a time when the coronavirus cases across the country crossed 80,000-mark, the Central government on Thursday announced the second phase of the economic package worth over Rs 3.16 lakh crore with the focus on migrant workers, farmers and street vendors.

Giving updates on coronavirus cases, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that the nationwide tally of COVID-19 cases crossed 80,000-mark with many more getting detected for the virus across states.

As per the latest updates, the death toll crossed 2,500-mark, and more than 27,500 have recovered so far. The health ministry also stated that some states like Kerala, Goa and Assam showed a sudden uptick in new cases after having flattened the curve earlier.

On the other hand, some other states like Odisha, West Bengal and Bihar also reported higher rates for the past few days. Officials said most of the new cases in these places are linked to people having returned from outside in special trains, buses and flights.

Going in line with PM Modi’s Rs 20 lakh crore economic package to help India become self-reliant, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her second-day press conference, unveiled special measures, totalling about Rs 3.16 lakh crore in terms of concessional credit for farmers, free food grains for migrant workers and working capital loan for street vendors.

The finance minister had on Wednesday announced measures worth about Rs 5.94 lakh crore to support small businesses, non-banking finance companies and power distribution companies.

FM Sitharaman is expected to announce further measures in coming days to provide a stimulus to the economy hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

Soon after FM Sitharaman’s announcement, PM Modi said the new announcements will especially benefit farmers and migrant workers.

However, Congress, said these measures only amounted to a ‘jumla package’ and the announcements made so far were deeply disappointing.

As per reports, the Delhi government has suggested to the Centre that shops in markets, shopping complexes and malls be allowed to open on an odd-even basis after May 17. It has also favoured allowing buses, metro, autos and taxis to operate in the city with strict social-distancing norms.

Notably, the Delhi government has also told the Centre that movement of labourers can be allowed within city and construction activities can also be allowed.

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