26 March 2020: PIB Summary & Analysis

March 26th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT)
2. Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY)

1. Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT)

Context:

Helpdesk operationalized by DGFT for COVID-19 related export or import issue.

About the DGFT:

An attached office of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the DGFT is involved in the regulation and promotion of foreign trade through regulation.

To know more about the DGFT, check PIB dated March 2^nd, 2020.

2. Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY)

Context:

Finance Minister announces Rs 1.70 Lakh Crore relief package under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana for the poor to help them fight the battle against Corona Virus.

Details of the package:

• Insurance scheme for health workers fighting COVID-19 in Government Hospitals and Health Care Centres.
  • Safai karamcharis, ward-boys, nurses, ASHA workers, paramedics, technicians, doctors and specialists and other health workers would be covered by a Special insurance Scheme.
  • Any health professional, who, while treating Covid-19 patients, meet with some accident, then he/she would be compensated with an amount of Rs 50 lakh under the scheme.
  • All government health centres, wellness centres and hospitals of Centre as well as States would be covered under this scheme; approximately 22 lakh health workers would be provided insurance cover to fight this pandemic.
• PM Garib Kalyan Ann (अन्न) Yojana
  • 80 crore individuals, i.e, roughly two-thirds of India’s population would be covered under this scheme.
  • Each one of them would be provided double of their current entitlement over the next three months.
  • This additionality would be free of cost.
  • To ensure adequate availability of protein to all the above mentioned individuals, pulses (1 kg per family) would be provided according to regional preferences for the next three months. This would be free of cost.
• Farmers will be given the first instalment of Rs 2,000 due in 2020-21 under the PM KISAN scheme, in April 2020 itself.
• Cash transfers under the PMGKY:
  • A total of 20.40 crores Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) women account-holders would be given an ex-gratia of Rs 500 per month for the next three months.
• Under PM Garib Kalyan Yojana, gas cylinders, free of cost, would be provided to 8 crore poor families for the next three months.
• Help to low wage earners in organised sectors:
  • Wage-earners below Rs 15,000 per month in businesses having less than 100 workers are at risk of losing their employment.
  • Under this package, government proposes to pay 24 percent of their monthly wages into their PF accounts for next three months.
  • This would prevent disruption in their employment.
• Support for senior citizens (above 60 years), widows and physically-handicapped:
  • Government will give them Rs 1,000 to tide over difficulties during the next three months.
• MNREGA wages would be increased by Rs.20/- w.e.f 1^st April, 2020.
• For Self-help Groups (SHGs), the limit of collateral free lending would be increased from Rs.10 lakh to Rs.20 lakh.
• For the organised sector, the Employees’ Provident Fund Regulations will be amended to include Pandemic as the reason to allow non-refundable advance of 75 percent of the amount or three months of the wages, whichever is lower, from their accounts.
• A Welfare Fund for Building and Other Constructions Workers has been created under a Central Government Act.
  • State Governments will be given directions to utilise this fund to provide assistance and support to these workers to protect them against economic disruptions.
• The State Government will be asked to utilise the funds available under the District Mineral Fund (DMF) for supplementing and augmenting facilities of medical testing, screening and other requirements in connection with preventing the spread of COVID-19 pandemic as well as treating the patients affected with this pandemic.

March 26th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

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