New Delhi, March 26

The government today announced a Rs 1.70 lakh crore relief package called “PM Garib Kalyan Scheme” to help the country’s most vulnerable sections of the population tide over the economic turmoil caused by the Covid-induced 21-day countrywide lockdown.

“At this moment we are reaching out to the poorest of poor. We will obviously think about the other things too,” said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman when asked when will the government address the middle class’ demands for EMI and loan waiver. The industry too has sought a resuscitation package of lower interest rates, easy credit and sustained governmental spending on infrastructure. Providing details at a press conference along with Minister of State for Finance Anurag Singh Thakur who provided a running translation in Hindi, Sitharaman said today’s announcement covered cash transfers and food security. Besides, the government announced a medical insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh per person in order to bolster sentiments of safety and security among frontline health staff and their families. Although there have been persistent demands from civil aviation, tourism and hospitality sectors for immediate relief and a moratorium on EMI payments since many have been rendered unemployed, Sitharaman sought to keep the focus of the conference on food security and cash transfers to the vulnerable. “We have to first reach food to the poorest of the poor and reach money to those who need it immediately. That is why we have even extended cooking gas for free to help those who get grains but may not have the means for buying the fuel. At this point, we are looking at PM Garib Kalyan Yojna so that the poor don’t starve for food. As things develop, we will come back,” she said when asked about relief from EMI payments and a package for the worst-hit economic sectors.

“We will come back when something is ready,” she observed when asked for a second time on the issue. The announcements cover 80 crore people, and women will benefit several times over from money in Jan Dhan accounts, free gas cylinders, enhanced loan limit for women self-help groups and MNREGA.

The measures announced today also include instructions to states on spending Rs 31,000 crore in the Construction Workers Fund as well as drawing on the district mineral fund about which no ready figures are available. The package leaves several unanswered questions, especially about the raising of resources to fund the non-budgeted announcement, which the government is likely to announce later. — TNS

Package to soften lockdown blow

• Rs1.70 lakh crore relief package under PM Garib Kalyan Yojana
• Rs50 lakh Insurance cover for health workers
• 80 crore to get 5 kg wheat/rice and 1 kg of pulses free for next three months
• Free gas cylinders for 8 crore poor families for next 3 months.
• 20.4 crore women Jan Dhan account holders to get one-time relief of Rs1,500
• Poor senior citizens, widows and disabled to get direct cash transfer of Rs1,000
• EPF to allow non-refundable advance of 75% of the amount or three months of the wages, whichever is lower
• Govt to bear PF costs for small units with mostly low salaried workers
• Increase in MNREGA wage to benefit 13.62 crore families
• First instalment of PM Kisan Yojana frontloaded
• Lending limit doubled for women self-help groups
• States told to draw on district mineral development fund

Surinder Bhardwaj

Fatehgarh Sahib, March 25

A total of 537 NRIs have landed in different villages and towns of Fatehgarh Sahib district since the Covid-19 has been declared a pandemic. As per the information available with the Civil Surgeon’s office, the list of 507 passengers was sent by the Centre, whereas 30 passengers reported own their own, whereas one passenger identified as Beant Singh (33), a resident of Rajgarh Channa village in Amloh sub-division, has not yet reported and is untraceable.

DC Amrit Kaur Gill said of 536 NRIs, 206 have been quarantined at home, whereas the others have crossed the 14 days limit. She said efforts are being made to trace the missing one.

She said there were eight suspects of coronavirus and their blood samples were taken and out of these six have been found negative, whereas the result of two is awaited. She urged the people to the instructions of the government as curfew has been imposed for their safety. She said violators will be booked for violating the curfew. She said the district administration is there to help them. In case of any emergency, one can call on control room number 01763232217 and curfew pass will be issued.

Meanwhile, SSP Amneet Kondal said the district police have booked and arrested 46 persons for violating curfew. She said repeated announcements are being made regarding curfew and safety measures. She appealed to all not to violate curfew strict action will be initiated, whosoever he may be.

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 25

As many as 641 people have been quarantined after contact tracing in Chandigarh. These persons either came in contact with seven positive cases in the city or had returned from abroad in the past week.

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There have been instructions from the Centre to quarantine those who have returned from Covid-affected nations and those exposed to the virus after coming in contact with a person affected.

Contact tracing is when people come in close contact with someone infected and are at a higher risk of becoming infected themselves and have the potential to infect others.

Closely watching these contacts after exposure to an infected person helps them to get care and treatment and will prevent further transmission of the virus.

Amit Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 25

Extending help to vagabonds, poor and needy people, Chandigarh Police personnel have come forward to provide them food during these hard days when they have nowhere to go. Various SHOs in Chandigarh are identifying such people in the area of their police stations to provide all possible help during the curfew imposed in the city.

A team of the Industrial Area police station, led by the SHO, Inspector Jasbir Singh, visited a 38-year-old visually impaired man, identified as Billu, a native of Bihar, who has been living under a tree in Sector 29 for the past two years.

Billu, an alumnus of Panjab University, is an MA and BEd, and has no one to take care of him.

Inspector Jasbir said he would be taking care of Billu by providing him food till the time the situation in the city returns to normalcy.

The police today got his hands sanitised and also got his surroundings cleaned.

A similar initiative has been taken by Inspector Narinder Patial, SHO of the Sector 26 police station.

Inspector Patial has identified eight persons living either in the market corridors or in the open, who are being provided food.

“On the first day, food was provided twice to five persons. However, today the number has increased to eight and I will look for more such people to extend help to them,” Inspector Patial said.

Interestingly, the food for these people is cooked by Patial’s wife Sonia. “I don’t feel any burden of cooking food for so many people. In fact, I am ready to help more people in the time of need,” she said.

Needy people at Sarangpur were also distributed food by the SHO, Inspector Ram Rattan.

A police official said these people were also provided masks and their hands were sanitised.

Meanwhile, other cops are also taking other initiatives at their end to ensure the safety of city residents from Covid.

In one such effort, newspaper vendors in Mani Majra were also provided masks and hand sanitisers by the SHO, Mani Majra, Inspector Jaswinder Kaur.