Report – Aradhana shukla
In order to firm up to second stimulus package for sectors impacted by the nation-wide lockdown, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has concluded a series of meetings with key ministers of his cabinet and officials of financial ministers yesterday.
Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Nitin Gadkari were the key cabinet members who participated in the said meetings.
It is pertinent to note that the Prime Minister already had meetings with different ministries including civil aviation, labour and power on Friday. He had detailed deliberation with commerce and MSME ministries among others on Thursday with focus on attracting both domestic and overseas investment and revival of small businesses in the country so that the recovery process is hastened.
As per the sources, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is also scheduled to make a detailed presentation to the prime minister on the state of economy and several initiatives that her ministry plans to undertake to stimulate Indian economy.
Earlier in late March, Modi Government had announced a Rs 1.7 lakh crore stimulus package comprising free foodgrains and cooking gas to poor and cash doles to poor women and elderly, in order to mitigate hardships faced by the bottom of the pyramid. Given that Home Ministry has extended the nation-wide lockdown for further two weeks commencing from 04th May 2020, these series of meetings are seen as predecessor to Modi government’s announcement of second dose of relief measures for the segment and a stimulus package for India, Sources said.