Important Announcements made Under Atma-Nirbhar Abhiyan and Rahat Package by Finance Minister Dated 14.05.2020
MEASURES FOR LIQUIDITY SUPPORT TO FARMERS AND RURAL ECONOMY:
1. 63 lakh loans of Rs 86,600 crore approved in agriculture between March 1 and April 30
2. Refinancing of Rs 30,000 crore provided by NABARD to Rural Cooperative Banks and Regional Rural Banks as additional emergency working capital fund for crop loan requirement
(NOTE: This is over and above Rs 90,000 crore to be provided by NABARD through normal refinance route during this year)
3. Front-loaded on-tap facility to 33 state cooperative banks, 351 district cooperative banks and 43 RRBs available on-tap based on their landing for their harvesting requirements
4. Support of Rs 4,200 crore provided under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund to states during March 2020 for rural infrastructure
5. Working capital limit of Rs 6,700 crore sanctioned for procurement of agriculture produce to state government entities since March 2020
6. Rs 2 lakh crore concessional credit boost to 2.5 crore farmers through the Kisan Credit Card Special Drive (fishermen and animal husbandry farmers will also be include in this scheme). This will enable 2.5 crore farmers gain access to institutional credit at concessional interest rates.
SUPPORT MEASURES FOR MIGRANT WORKERS AND LABOURERS:
1. Govt sends states Rs 11,000 crore to states for migrant labourers to utilise the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to set up shelters for migrant labourers and provide them food and water.
2. government has supported SHGs for generating employment opportunities
3. The government is supporting migrant labourers who have returned to their home states by creating work under the MNREGA. Details are as follows:
- 14.62 crore person-days of work generated till May 1, 2020
- 40-50% more persons enrolled, compared to May last year
- Average wage rate rose to Rs 2020 from 182 in last Financial Year
- Drive being undertaken to enroll returning migrants
- States/UTs advised to provide work to migrant workers as per the provisions of the Act
- Government plans to continue MGNREGA work during the monsoon through plantations, horticulture, livestock related work
4. Some of the measures in work to benefit workers in the country through various amendments to Acts in Parliament:
- Universalisation of rights of minimum wages and timely payment of wages to all workers including those in the unorganised workers
- Statutory concept of National Floor Wage introduced
- Fixation of minimum wages simplified, leading to less number of rates of minimum wages and better compliance
- Appointment letter for all workers
- Annual health check-up for all employees
- Occupational safety and health code also applicable to establishments engaged in work of hazardous nature even with threshold of less than 10 workers
5. The government will give 5 kgs/person of wheat or rice and 1 kg/family of channa for non-PDS card holders for 2 months at 0 cost. This will be done through the states, which are aware where the migrant workers are currently staying (total amount to be devoted in this work: Rs 3,500 crore)
6. the government is coming up with National Portability Cards (also known as One Nation One Ration Card) which can be used in any ration shop in any part of the country as workers move from state to state. This will be implemented by August in 23 states. The entire PDS population (100%) may be expected to be on the system by March 2021.
7. The state and Centre are working together to ensure migrants return to their home states. There are 1,200 Shramik Special trains available and ready to ply. Every day, at least 300 trains can run. Arrangements regarding the same are in process.
8. For migrants and the urban poor, the government has announced affordable rental accommodation. This Rental Housing Scheme, under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (PMAY), includes:
- Converting government funded housing in cities into Affordable Rental Housing Complexes under Public Private Partnership mode through concessionaire
- Incentivising manufacturing units, industries, institutions, associations, carious state government and central government agencies to develop Affordable Rental Housing Complexes on their private land and operate
MEASURES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES:
1. Rs 1500 crore interest subvention for MUDRA-Shishu loan
2. Loan moratorium has already been granted by RBI
3. The current portfolio of MUDRA-Shishu loans is Rs 1.62 lakh crore (max loan amount of Rs 50,000)
4. Govt will provide interest subvention of 2% for prompt payees for 12 month
5. Relief of Rs 1500 Cr to MUDRA-Shishu loanees
MEASURES FOR STREET VENDORS:
1. Rs 5000 crore special credit facility
2. Govt to launch special scheme within a month to facilitate easy access to credit to street vendor
3. Initial working capital up to Rs 10,000
4. Digital payments will be incentivised through monetary rewards and enhanced working capital credit would be made available for good repayment behaviour
5. Govt to support nearly 50 lakh street vendor
EMPLOYMENT GENERATION MEASURES FOR TRIBALS:
Employment creation through Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) funds for tribals and adivasis for afforestation and plantation works, artificial regenaterion etc.
MEASURES FOR MIDDLE INCOME GROUPS:
1. For middle income group (annual Income: Rs 6-18 lakh), the government will give a Rs 70,000 crore boost to the housing sector through extension of Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) for Middle Income Group, which was operationalised from May 2017.
2. It will also create jobs, stimulate demand for steel, cement, transport, and other construction material
Warm Regards
SB and Associates
Practicing Company Secretaries
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