Pradhan Mantri GaribKalyan Package

Subject: Schemes

Context:

The Centre claimed that over 42 crore poor people have received financial assistance of over ₹68,000 crore under the Pradhan Mantri GaribKalyan Package (PMGKY).

Concept:

• It is announced in March, the ₹1.70-lakh crore package intends to benefit the masses affected during the pandemic by providing free food grains and cash payment to women and poor senior citizens and farmers.

Following are the components of the Pradhan Mantri GaribKalyan Package

I. Insurance scheme for health workers fighting COVID-19 in Government Hospitals and Health Care Centres

• Safaikaramcharis, 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.

II. PMGaribKalyanAnnaYojana

• Government of India would not allow anybody, especially any poor family, to suffer on account of non-availability of foodgrains due to disruption in the next three months.
• 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 next three months. This additionality would be free of cost.

III. Benefit to farmers:

• The first instalment of Rs 2,000 due in 2020-21 will be front-loaded and paid in April 2020 itself under the PM KISAN Yojana.
• It would cover 8.7 crore farmers

IV. Cash transfers to Help to Poor:

• A total of 20.40 crores PMJDY women account-holders would be given an ex-gratia of Rs 500 per month for next three months.
• Gas cylinders:Under PM GaribKalyanYojana, gas cylinders, free of cost, would be provided to 8 crore poor families for the next three months.