CHANDIGARH Union food processing industries minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Sunday urged Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh to use Rs 6,000-crore grant received by the state government under the State Disaster Relief Fund to provide succour to the needy in the wake of Covid-19 crisis.
In a statement here, she said it was of utmost importance to provide direct benefits to farmers, farm labourers, daily wagers and migrant labour, besides giving relief to the common man as well as the industrial sector.
The minister pointed out that she had disclosed that the Centre had released Rs 2,366 crore to the Punjab government on account of GST compensation and arrears, besides money under other heads after March 20 when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.
Harsimrat also released the Centre’s communications listing out all the grants released for the state since March 20, including Rs 638 crore as a revenue deficit grant, Rs 247 crore for the first installment of disaster management grant for this year, Rs 41crore under the National Health Mission and Rs 71.87 crore as 100% assistance under the emergency response package announced by the PM.