Rs 1.7 lakh crore relief package

Unveiling relief measures to deal with the impact of the countrywide lockdown due to coronavirus, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced a Rs 1.7 lakh crore package under Garib Kalyan Yojana that would largely benefit unorganised sector workers, especially daily wage workers, and urban and rural poor. The relief measures were announced a day after the country went into a 21-day lockdown to break the chain of transmission of coronavirus, which has so far infected more than 600 people and led to 13 deaths. Sitharaman said 80 crore poor or two-third of population would get 5 kg rice or wheat free for the next three months. This will be over and above the 5 kg they already get. Additionally, they will also get 1 kg of preferred pulse.