Free food grain supply for migrants for next two months; about 8 crores will get benefit

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday (May 14) said that the government will ensure free food grain supply for migrants for the next two months and added that non-card holders (national food security act or state-level cards) will also receive 5 kg of wheat or rice and 1 kg chana per family per month for two months. 

The Finance Minister said, "We are engaging with state governments to approach and identify the migrants. Close to 8 crore migrants will benefit from this and Centre will bear the cost. Rs 3,500 crore will be spent on this intervention for two months." 

Sitharaman said "state governments responsible for implementation, identification of migrants and full distribution and providing detailed guidelines."  

She also informed that One Nation One Ration Card will provide benefits to migrant labourers. "A technology-driven system will enable migrants to access public distribution system from any fair price shop in India by March 2021," she said, adding "This scheme will enable migrant beneficiaries to access PDS from any fair price shop in the country."

▪️ Free Food grain supply to #Migrants for 2 months
▪️ About 8 crores migrants to benefit from this
▪️ Rs. 3500 Crore will be spent on this intervention for 2 months: @nsitharaman

at the #AatmaNirbharBharatPackage media briefing pic.twitter.com/2Kn8I7DXbS

— PIB India #StayHome #StaySafe (@PIB_India) May 14, 2020

"67 crore beneficiaries in 23 states covering 83 per cent of PDS population. All states will complete full fair price shop automation by March 2021," she added.

The labour codes to benefit workers announced by the FM are given below: 

'Government Committed to the welfare of Workers': @nsitharaman at the #AatmaNirbharBharatPackage Media Briefing pic.twitter.com/WRSnLCnNyt — PIB India #StayHome #StaySafe (@PIB_India) May 14, 2020

• Annual Health Check-up for employees. 

• Appointment letter for all workers- this will promote formalization. 

• Statutory concept of National Floor Wage introduced: will reduce regional disparity in minimum wages. 

• Fixation of minimum wages simplified, leading to less number of rates of minimum wages and better compliance. 

• Universalization of right of minimum wages and timely payment of wages to all workers including unorganized workers — presently minimum wages applicable to only 30% of workers. 

• Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Code also applicable to establishments engaged in work of hazardous nature even with a threshold of less than 10 workers.