PM-KISAN, Jan Dhan, Ujjawala: Govt lends ₹30,000 crore helping hand in Covid-19 crisis

The government has released nearly ₹30,000 crore financial assistance to different sections of the society in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced ₹1.70 lakh crore relief package last month, days after a nationwide lockdown was announced to check the spread of coronavirus disease Covid-19. In the package, the government announced free foodgrain and cash doles to women, poor senior citizens and farmers to mitigate hardship faced due to the 21-day lockdown.

Here is a look at different schemes under which the government is giving financial assistance:

PM-KISAN: 6.93 crore farmers were benefited through the PM-KISAN scheme to help farmers tide over the Covid-19 crisis. Under the scheme, the government transfers ₹2,000 cash directly to the farmers’ bank accounts through direct benefit transfer or DBT. ₹13,855 crore have gone towards payment of first installment of PM-KISAN, the finance ministry said.

Jan Dhan: As many as 19.86 crore women Jan Dhan account holders received ₹500 each in their account. The total disbursement under the head was 9,930 crore, the finance ministry said.

National Social Assistance Programme: ₹1,400 crore disbursed to about 2.82 crore old age person, widow and disabled people, the government said on Saturday. Each beneficiary received an ex-gratia cash of ₹1,000 under the scheme.

Building and Construction Workers’ Fund: As many as 2.16 crore construction workers received financial support from the BCWF managed by state governments. Under this, ₹3,066 crore were given to beneficiaries.

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana: The government will release 12 million MT of food grain during the April-June quarter. “It will provide for 80 crore people at 5 kg per head per month at no cost. Free rations have already reached 2 cr beneficiaries,” the finance ministry said in a tweet.

Ujjawala scheme: The government is providing free LPG refills for the next three months to over 8.3 crore poor women under the scheme and ₹50 lakh insurance cover for healthcare workers.