The BJP on Thursday welcomed the Rs 1.7 lakh-crore relief package announced by the Union Government for daily wage earners, farmers, women and senior citizens and pensioners in the organised and unorganised sectors saying it will help the poor sections of the society when the nation is on a 21-day lockdown to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
BJP President Jagat Prasad Nadda said the wide-range of economic package under Prime Minister ‘Garib Kalyan Yojna’ would mitigate immediate problems of food and money for the economically deprived population who would receive additional 5kg of wheat or rice per person as also ‘dal’ of 5 kg per house-hold for next three-months besides getting money in their bank accounts through DBT (Direct Bank transfer).
A total of 80 crore people will be covered under the package. Government also announced Rs 50 lakh medical insurance cover for all health workers including Doctors, nurses and other medical personnel who are in forefront of battle against Coronavirus which may cross the crucial Rs community spreadRs stage any time from now.
Nadda said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a "huge relief" for the poor in this hour of crisis and asserted that it is the ruling party's resolve that nobody is left hungry.
Former party president and Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the announcement shows the sensitivity of the government towards the poor and other vulnerable sections of society.
Nadda said that over 80 crore poor people will get an additional five kg each of wheat and rice beside one kg of pulse for three months to ensure that everyone gets an adequate amount of food.
Farmers, daily wagers, poor women, people with disabilities and senior citizens will also get monetary relief through direct benefit transfer, he said.
"On behalf of every BJP worker, I thank the prime minister for this relief to the poor, farmers, women, youths, senior citizens and the organised sector for such important decisions and this relief package," he said.
Nadda also hailed the Government's announcement of insurance of health professionals and the decision to give free LPG cylinders under the 'Ujjwala' scheme for three months. Cash will be transferred in the bank accounts of poor farmers, poor widows, poor pensioners and poor disabled.
Farmers who were receiving Rs 6,000 annually would get Rs 2,000 upfront under Prime Minister’s scheme and MNREGA workers daily wage would be increased from Rs 182 to Rs 200. Three-months free cylinders would be provided to women covered under ‘Ujjawala’ scheme.
BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav said the Government under Modi's leadership stands solidly with the poor and other segments of the population and is committed to the country getting over the coronavirus pandemic.
The Government has announced three-week’s lockdown until mid-April, saying it is the only way out for the country to decisively defeat the virus by rigorously adopting social distancing.
BJP has also suspended all its official programmes across the country with the party workers asked to assist Government varied efforts to counter pandemic across the country.
A day before, the BJP said one crore of its workers will provide for meals of five poor persons each during the 21-day lockdown. A mechanism will be put in place at the earliest in this regard, according to party’s national media head Anil Baluni.