⇒ Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman announced a slew of measures to provide relief to diverse sectors affected by the 2nd wave of COVID-19 pandemic on 28 June 2021. A total of 17 measures amounting to Rs 6,28,993 crore were announced. These included two measures announced earlier.
The 17 measures can be clubbed into 3 broad categories:
- Economic Relief from Pandemic
- Strengthening Public Health
- Impetus for Growth & Employment
1. Economic Relief from Pandemic
i) 1.10 lakh crore Loan Guarantee Scheme for COVID Affected sectors
ii) Additional Rs 1.5 lakh crore for Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme
iii) Credit Guarantee Scheme to facilitate loans to 25 lakh persons through Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs)
iv) Financial support to more than 11,000 Registered Tourists/ Guides/ Travel and Tourism Stakeholders
v) Free one month Tourist Visa to first 5 lakh tourists
vi) Extension of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana till 31st March 2022
vii) Additional subsidy of Rs 14,775 crore for DAP & P&K fertilizers
viii) Extension of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) – Free food grains from May to November, 2021
2. Strengthening Public Health
i) Rs 23,220 crore more for public health with emphasis on children and paediatric care/paediatric beds
3. Impetus for Growth & Employment
i) 21 varieties of bio-fortified crop for nutrition, climate resilience and other traits to be dedicated to the nation
ii) Revival of North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC) with package of Rs 77.45 crore
iii) Rs 33,000 crore boost for project exports through National Export Insurance Account (NEIA)
iv) Rs 88,000 crore boost to Export Insurance Cover
v) Rs 19,041 crore For Broadband to each Village through BharatNet PPP Model
vi) Extension of Tenure of PLI Scheme for Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing till 2025-26
vii) Rs 3.03 lakh crore for Reform-Based Result-Linked Power Distribution Scheme
viii) New Streamlined Process for PPP Projects and Asset Monetization