The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY)

As part of the Taxation Laws Act of 2016, the Indian government introduced the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (second amendment). When the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana was first launched, the primary goal of the scheme was to ensure that tax evaders would reveal their undeclared funds to avoid penalties and criminal prosecutions. The government hoped to benefit the underprivileged by using the deposited black money in this scheme. There were no restrictions on the scheme from December 2016 to March 2017.

When a pandemic occurred in 2020, the government extended the programme to include relief packages. Poor people’s livelihoods were meant to be supported during COVID lockdowns.

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY)

• During the COVID-19 epidemic, the government offered relief packages due to the extension of the programme in 2020. The goal of the extension was to keep low-wage workers from losing their jobs and support small businesses (those with up to 100 employees). Employees’ and employers’ EPF and EPS contributions totaled 24 percent of monthly wages for three months under the extension, which was supplied by the federal government. 
• The government also offered relief packages for the impoverished, including various programmes. The Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister, Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman, released a relief package of Rs. 1.70 lakh crore under the PMGKY. The initial three-month period of the programme was extended to November 2020.

Components of PMGKY

The PM Garib Kalyan Yojana package includes the following:

The PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana

The government of India developed the world’s largest food security programme to tackle COVID-induced financial instability. Every month, the programme provides food supplies, such as 5 kilogrammes of rice/wheat for each individual and 1 kilogramme of rice/wheat for each family.

• All Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and priority household (PHH) ration cardholders are entitled to grains under this programme, which is part of the targeted public distribution system (TPDS). The following are some of the most important aspects of the plan:
• Approximately 66 percent of the population of India was served by this programme. Their current benefits were doubled. It was completely free of charge. Families received 1 kilogramme of pulses as a supplement to their protein intake.

The Health Care Workers’ Insurance Program to fight COVID-19

The government has insured doctors and nurses who treat COVID-19 patients via this programme. If one of these doctors or nurses dies in the line of duty, their families would be paid Rs. 50 lakh. COVID or an accident while performing COVID-related duties are considered accidental causes of death. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is footing the bill for this policy.

• Community health workers and private hospital staff are included in this plan, as are retirees, contracted, daily wage, ad hoc, and outsourced staff requested by the states, central hospitals, autonomous hospitals of the Central/States, UTs, AIIMS, and INIs, as well as hospitals under the Central Ministries.
• ASHA workers, paramedics, technicians, doctors & specialists, and other healthcare professionals were also covered, in addition to safai karamcharis, ward boys, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.
• A total of 22 lakh health personnel were covered by the programme in the fight against the epidemic.
• Providing gas cylinders to the poor: Over 8 million beneficiaries of the Prime Minister Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) received free cylinders of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for three months beginning in April 2020.

Conclusion

The government has created the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana/Package to help the disadvantaged in their fight against the Coronavirus. Beginning in March 2020, the Indian government will start distributing food and cash to the world’s poorest people. The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) was announced by the Indian government in 2016 and went into effect in 2017. Untaxed funds can be deposited into banks by individuals. The new plan mandates the payment of the money that was previously exempt from taxation. The strategy was in place from December 2016 to March 2017. Initially, the release date was set for September 2019.