New Delhi (NVI): Around 39 crore poor have people received financial assistance of Rs 34,800 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) as on May 5, the Ministry of Finance said today.
The digital payment infrastructure was announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on March 26 to protect poor people from the impact of the lockdown due to COVID-19.
Under PMGKP, the government announced free food grains and cash payments to women and poor senior citizens and farmers.
“Using the digital payment infrastructure, around 39 crore poor people received financial assistance of Rs 34,800 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) as on May 5, announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 26 March to protect them from the impact of the lockdown due to COVID-19,” the Ministry of Finance said in a statement.
The swift implementation of the package is being continuously monitored by Central and State governments, it said.
The progress achieved under various components of PMGKP is as follows:
1. Rs 16,394 crore front-loaded towards payment of the first installment of PM-KISAN to 8.19 crore beneficiaries.
2. With the second installment, Rs 2,785 crore credited to 5.57 crore Women Jan Dhan account holders as on May 5.
3. Rs 1405 crore disbursed to about 2.82 crore old age persons, widows and disabled persons. Benefits transferred to all 2.812 crore beneficiaries.
4. 2.20 crore Building and Construction Workers received financial support amounting to Rs 3492.57 crore.
5. A total of 6.19 lakh MT of food grains has been distributed, covering 12.39 crore beneficiaries by 22 States/UTs.
6. 2.42 lakh MT of Pulses have also been dispatched to various States/UTs.
7. Pulses have been distributed so far to 5.21 crore household beneficiaries out of 19.4 crore such beneficiaries.
8. Under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) scheme 4.82 free cylinders already delivered to beneficiaries.
9. 6 Lakh members of Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has taken the benefit of online withdrawal of non-refundable advance from EPFO account amounting to 2985 crore.
10. Rs 21,032 crore released to states to liquidate pending dues of both wage and material under the MGNREGA scheme.
The ministry further said that fintech and digital technology have been employed for swift and efficient transfer to the beneficiary.
Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) had ensured the amount is directly credited into the account of the beneficiary.
