Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday lauded the announcements made by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman saying that the announcements will benefit farmers and migrant workers. He added that the announcements include a series of progressive measures and will boost food security, credit to farmers as well as street vendors.
Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, PM Modi said, "Today’s announcements by FM Nirmala Sitharaman will especially benefit our farmers and migrant workers. The announcements include a series of progressive measures and will boost food security, credit to farmers as well as street vendors."
Announcing the second tranche of measures to ameliorate the hardships faced specifically by migrant labours, street vendors, migrant urban poor, small traders self-employed people, small farmers and housing, Sitharaman on Thursday detailed the short term and long-term measures for supporting the poor, including migrants, farmers, tiny businesses and street vendors.
She stated that PM Modi is always concerned about the difficulties faced by the poor, including migrant workers and farmers. Farmers and workers are the backbone of this nation. They serve all of us with their sweat and toil. Migrant workers need affordable and convenient rental housing in urban areas in addition to social security. There is also a need to create employment opportunities for the poor, including migrant and unorganised workers. Farmers need timely and adequate credit support.
Sitharaman said that the government is attentive to the needs of all the segments of the economy and society. She also mentioned that small business setups, especially those run by street vendors, support dignified livelihoods through Shishu MUDRA loans. They also need our patronage by way of business as well as caring attention in the form of social security and enhanced credit.
For the migrant labour, additional food grain to all the states/UTs at the rate of 5 kg per migrant labourer and 1 kg Chana per family per month for two months i.e. May and June free of cost shall be allocated. Migrant labourers not covered under National Food Security Act or without a ration card in the State/UT in which they are stranded at present will be eligible.
The states/UTs shall be advised to put a mechanism for targeted distribution as envisaged in the scheme. 8 Lakh MT of food-grain and 50,000 MT of Chana shall be allocated. The entire outlay of Rs. 3500 crore will be borne by the Centre.
Pilot scheme for portability of ration cards will be extended to 23 states. By that, 67 crore beneficiaries covering 83% of the PDS population will be covered by National portability of Ration cards by August. 100% National portability will be achieved by March 2021. This is part of PM’s Technology-Driven System Reforms This scheme will enable a migrant worker and their family members to access PDS benefits from any Fair Price Shop in the country. This will ensure that the people in transit, especially migrant workers can also get the benefit of PDS benefit across the country.
