‘Free visas’, ‘loan guarantees’: Finance Minister announces 8 new schemes

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday announced ₹1.5 lakh crore of additional credit for small and medium businesses, more funds for the healthcare sector, loans to tourism agencies and guides, and waiver of visa fee for foreign tourists as part of a package to support the pandemic-hit economy. The government on Monday extended the Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana, which was launched in October last year to encourage employment generation, by nine months till March 31, 2022. The government will provide free visas to 5 lakh tourists visiting India, Sitharaman said. Sitharaman said financial support would be provided to more than 11,000 registered tourist guides, travel and tourism stakeholders. Watch the full video for more details.