Congress offers guarded welcome to PM's new economic package, says 'devil lies in details'

The Congress party on Tuesday offered a guarded welcome to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of a financial package worth Rs.20 lakh crore. While Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala claimed that the PM had failed to address the woes of migrant workers, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot lauded the package reserving further comment until the emergence of details in the public domain. Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel contended that the economic package should have been unveiled earlier. He too demanded more clarity on the components of the package.

Rajya Sabha MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi opined that the relief package should account for an additional 10% of the GDP apart from the earlier COVID-19 measures implemented by the Centre.

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New package equivalent to 10% of India's GDP

According to PM Modi, the new financial package would boost the aim of self-reliance. He said that the earlier decisions of the Centre along with the new package totals to Rs.20 lakh crore- i.e 10% of India's GDP. However, the details of the package shall be announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday, May 13. The PM mentioned that this would benefit the workers, hawkers, street vendors, farmers, the business class, etc. He elaborated that special emphasis has been paid to land, labour, liquidity and laws. Additionally, PM Modi declared that the fourth phase of the lockdown would have new guidelines which shall be revealed before May 18. 

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