States Across India Are Taking Measures To Help Less Fortunate As Coronavirus Hits Livelihood

The coronavirus pandemic is going to affect a lot of people - directly and indirectly. While lives are at stake, so is the livelihood of many people.

As India reels under the effects of the COVID-19, there is high possibility that many of the daily wage workers and those working in unorganised sector might soon find themselves out of jobs.

But to ensure the less fortunate get a minimum sum to ease their financial stress in the times of crises, state governments across India have announced a slew of relief measures.

Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi have already come up with measures. Here is what each of these states has announced so far:

Kerala

The government of Kerala has announced a financial package of Rs 20,000 crore to tide over the coronavirus crisis.

¡°In the next two months, families who come under the Kudumbasree schemes - which are aimed at improving the standard of living of poor women in rural areas by setting up micro-credit and productive enterprises - will get a loan of Rs 2000 crore,¡± Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said during a press conference.

AFP

He also added, ¡°Two months of pension will be deposited together and an amount of Rs 1,320 crore will be allotted for this purpose. Rs 1000 will be given to the families with financial difficulties who do not avail of the social security pension.¡±

The government also announced that Rs 2000 crore will be distributed under the rural employment guarantee scheme during April and May, while the social security pensions will be paid in March.

Uttar Pradesh

The UP government announced quite a few measures for the state's daily wage earners including construction workers and self employed cart owners, rickshaw pullers as well pension earners to tide over the period of shutdown and uncertainty amid the coronavirus scare.

In a press conference, the UP CM said a sum of Rs 1,000 would be provided to each of the 20.37 lakh construction workers registered with the labour department and to each of the 15 lakh self employed cart owners, small shop owners and rickshaw pullers on an immediate basis.

Additionally, families of 1.65 crore Antyodaya workers, workers bearing MGNREGA cards as well as construction workers and small wage earners will be given one month stock of food grains for free by the state government, the UP CM said.

Delhi

The Delhi government on Saturday said the novel coronavirus was causing terrible financial stress to the poor and announced that those receiving ration from fair-price shops would get 50 per cent extra for next month.

Steps taken by @ArvindKejriwal's Delhi Govt to provide relief to the people of Delhi amidst the #Coronavirus crisis.#DelhiFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/F9mDq1YABq

¡ª AAP (@AamAadmiParty) March 21, 2020

During his first-ever digital-only press conference, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal doubled the pension for widows, differently-abled and elderly for this month.