Over Rs 65k cr given through DBT to PMGKP beneficiaries

New Delhi, June 20 More than 42 crore beneficiaries have been extended cash support through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) totalling Rs 65,454 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) till June 19, the Finance Ministry said on Saturday.

The Rs 1.7 lakh crore PMGKP package was announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on March 26 to protect weaker and most vulnerable sections of society from the impact of the nationwide lockdown due to Covid-19 outbreak.

Under the package, the Union government announced free food grains and cash payments to women and poor senior citizens and farmers. It's swift implementation is being continuously monitored by the central and state governments.

So far, the government has transferred Rs 8,488 crore into the bank accounts of PM Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries. Also, 8.52 crore free Ujjwala cylinders have been booked and delivered during April and May. As many as 2.1 crore cylinders have been booked in June so far of which 1.87 crore free cylinders have been delivered.

A ministry statement said that as of June 19, the government has also released Rs 996.46 crore for the benefit of 65.74 lakh EPFO account-holder employees whereby the Centre had decided to make the entire 24 per cent PF contribution of both employers and employees for a further period of three months.

Moreover, 20.22 lakh members of EPFO have taken the benefit of online withdrawal of non-refundable advance from their EPFO accounts totalling Rs 5,767 crore.

The government had also released the first instalment of PM-KISAN (Rs 16,394 crore) and transferred it to 8.94 crore identified farmers who got Rs 2,000 each directly in their bank accounts.

The government had also disbursed Rs 30,952 crore to women Jan Dhan account-holders till June 19. A sum of Rs 10,325 crore was disbursed to 20.65 crore such account- holders (100 per cent) as the first instalment of Rs 500 each. Moreover, Rs 10,315 crore had been credited to 20.63 crore women Jan Dhan account-holders (100 per cent) as the second instalment. A sum of Rs 10,312 crore was credited to 20.62 crore (100%) women Jan Dhan account-holders as third instalment.

In addition, the central government had also released Rs 2,814.5 crore to about 2.81 crore old-age persons, widows and disabled persons in two instalments. Each beneficiary received an ex gratia of Rs 500 each as the first instalment and another Rs 500 each as the second instalment. For each instalment, the government disbursed Rs 1,407 crore to 100 per cent of the identified beneficiaries.

Also, 2.3 crore building and construction workers have so far received financial support totalling Rs 4,312.82 crore.

So far, 113 lakh tonnes of food grains have been lifted by 36 states/UTs for April and 37.01 lakh tonne of food grains have been distributed, covering 74.03 crore beneficiaries. Moreover, 36.42 lakh tonne of food grains have been distributed, covering 72.83 crore beneficiaries for May 2020 and 13.59 lakh tonne of food grains distributed to 27.18 crore beneficiaries by 29 states/UTs for June 2020.

Out of 5.8 lakh tonne of pulses allocated for three months, 5.68 lakh tonnes were dispatched to various states/UTs. A total of 3.35 lakh tonnes have been distributed so far to 16.3 crore of the 19.4 crore beneficiary households. About 28 states/UTs have distributed 100% pulses for April, 20 states/UTs have completed 100% distribution of pulses for May, and seven states/UTs completed 100% distribution for June.

Under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the government announced free food grains and 'chana' to migrants for 2 months. As of June 19, 6.3 lakh tonne food grains had been lifted by 36 states/UTs and 34,074 tonnes of 'chana' dispatched to various states/UTs under the scheme.

The government had also released Rs 36,379 crore to the states to liquidate pending dues of both wage and material under MGNREGS as part of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package up to June 19.

The government had increased the rate of payment under MGNREGS for work with effect from April 1 to help largely migrant workers who are without work due to the lockdown and suspension of business activities due to Covid-19 pandemic.

So far, in this financial year, 88.73 crore person's man-days of work has been generated under MGNREGS. The government is looking at its employment guarantee scheme to help workers find temporary employment and get wages on their return home.

The central government has increased MGNREGS wages by Rs 20 in this financial year to ensure additional benefit of Rs 2,000 annually to each worker.

Under the District Mineral Fund (DMF), states have been asked to spend 30% of the funds, which amounts to Rs 3,787 crore, of which Rs 183.65 crore has been spent so far.

Insurance scheme for health workers in government hospitals and healthcare centres have been operationalised w.e.f. March 30, 2020. New India Assurance is implementing the scheme since extended up to September.

( With inputs from IANS )