Coronavirus COVID-19: PM Narendra Modi gave us a headline and a blank page, says Chidambaram on 20 lakh crore economic package

Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore to help the economy tackle the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, former Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday (May 13) said that the prime minister has given a headline and a blank page. Chidambaram, however, expressed hope that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sithraman will fill the blank page on Wednesday.

"Yesterday, PM gave us a headline and a blank page.  Naturally, my reaction was a blank! Today, we look forward to the FM filling the blank page. We will carefully count every ADDITIONAL rupee that the government will actually infuse into the economy," Chidambaram tweeted.

Yesterday, PM gave us a headline and a blank page. Naturally, my reaction was a blank!

Today, we look forward to the FM filling the blank page. We will carefully count every ADDITIONAL rupee that the government will actually infuse into the economy.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) May 13, 2020

The veteran Congress leader also noted that his party will closely monitor which sector is getting what from the economic package. He suggested the government to first focus on the poor, hungry and devastated migrant workers

"We will also carefully examine who gets what? And the first thing we will look for is what the poor, hungry and devastated migrant workers can expect after they have walked hundreds of kilometres to their home states," he said in another tweet.

We will also carefully examine who gets what?
And the first thing we will look for is what the poor, hungry and devastated migrant workers can expect after they have walked hundreds of kilometres to their home states.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) May 13, 2020

"We will also examine what the bottom half of the population (13 crore families) will get in terms of REAL MONEY," Chidambaram said.

We will also examine what the bottom half of the population (13 crore families) will get in terms of REAL MONEY.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) May 13, 2020

While announcing the combined stimulus of Rs 20 lakh crore, PM Modi had said that the coronavirus crisis has provided India with an opportunity to become self-reliant and emerge as the best in the world. In a televised address to the nation, PM Modi also said there will be a fourth phase of the lockdown which will be very different from the earlier three phases. The third phase of the 54-day lockdown is scheduled to end on May 17.