Indian government will provide wheat at ₹2 and rice at ₹3 per kilo to poor families

• The central government will now provide wheat at ₹2/kg and rice at ₹3/kg as a relief to 80 crore people during the lockdown, announced I&B minister Javadekar.
  
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown yesterday (March 24).
  
• The announcement from the Central government came after former Finance Minister Chidambaram listed out how much the government should pay Indians during the lockdown to poor families.

Union minister Prakash Javadekar today (March 25) announced that the central government will provide food supplies at subsidized prices. It will provide wheat at ₹2/kg and rice at ₹3/kg as a relief to poor families during the lockdown.

This will aid 80 crore daily wagers and others who lose the jobs and livelihoods during the 21 day lockdown announced by the government Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday (March 24).

"Cheap or free ration is being given out. It is the world's biggest food security system. This will be extended to three months," the Union minister added.

He further said that contractual labourers will get wages on time and also announced recapitalization of regional banks.

As per announcement, all commercial and private establishments shall be closed down. However, an exception has been made for essential services that include ration shops (under PDS), grocery stores, fruits and vegetable vendors, dairy and milk booths. Here’s a list of what can be accessed during the lockdown.

P Chidambaram bats for direct benefit transfer

The announcement from the Central government came after former Finance Minister Chidambaram listed out how much the government should pay Indians during the lockdown to poor families for survival.

“For farmers, the government should double the amount paid/payable under PM-KISAN (to ₹12,000) and transfer the additional amount immediately to the bank accounts of beneficiaries. It should bring tenant farmers under PM-KISAN. Take the list from the state governments and transfer ₹12,000 (in two instalments) to the bank accounts of each farmer,” Chidambaram said in a tweet.

According to him, the government should transfer ₹3000 into the bank account of MGNREGA workers. Read his entire list of recommendations to the government. Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the government would announce an economic stimulus package “sooner than later”.

The worst victims of the lockdown are daily wagers who constitute around half of India’s population.

Construction workers, domestic help, sanitation workers in private establishments, daily wage labourers in small shops and factories, film production crews across countries, and many more like account for nearly 90% of India’s population - will experience the heat of this lockdown, say experts.

SEE ALSO: Coronavirus cases in India state wise: 612 infected, 41 cured and 9 dead