(TH)
The Union government on Thursday announced a Rs.1.7 lakh crore package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and countrywide lockdown, providing free food and cash transfers to support the poorest citizens who are most vulnerable during the crisis.
The food grain ration for 80 crore poor people would be doubled for the next three months, supplemented by a kg of local pulses as well, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday. The Centre would provide ₹50 lakh medical insurance cover for the next three months for about 22 lakh health workers in government hospitals fighting the spread of the virus at personal risk, including ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers, medical sanitary workers in government hospitals, paramedics, nurses and doctors.
