(FE)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the three-month (April-June) free-grains scheme, unveiled in late March amid Covid-19 outbreak, for another five months till November-end, a move that will increase the total cost of the scheme to around Rs 1.4 lakh crore. With this, the additional budgetary cost of the Covid-19 stimulus package will rise from a little over Rs 2 lakh crore or around 1% of the gross domestic product (GDP) to close to Rs 3 lakh crore or 1.5% of GDP.
In a televised address to the nation, his fifth after the onset of the intractable pandemic, the prime minister cautioned people lowering their guard against the highly contagious virus when it has spread much wider than during the lockdown period from late March to early May. Modi said the government will continue to take steps to empower the poor and the needy as well as to enhance economic activities with due precautions.
