P Chidambaram issues 'brief & focused' statement criticising FM's Economic package

Stating that the Congress party is disappointed with the stimulus package announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, former FM P Chidambaram said that asked where is the rest of the Rs 16.4 lakh crore of Centre's massive Rs 20 lakh crore economic relief.

Even as the Centre had said that the Finance Minister will be disclosing the details of the scheme gradually and that Wednesday's briefing was mainly for MSMEs, Chidambaram while addressing the AICC Press Conferenceraised the migrants' issue. "Let me first point out that there is nothing in what the FM said today for the lakhs of poor, hungry and devastated migrant workers..," he said.

He also claimed that there is nothing in way of cash transfer to the bottom half of the population. While he refused to comment on liquidity related measures, he said that measures for the MSMEs were skewed in favour of larger MSMEs. 

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Sitharaman announces stimulus package for MSMEs

On Wednesday, FM Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the first set of measures of the financial package worth Rs.20 lakh crore. She stated that PM Narendra Modi laid down the vision of Aatmanirbhar India (self-reliant India) after deep consultation with several sections of the society. She also mentioned that the focus of the package is on the factors of production- land, labour, liquidity and others.

Moreover, she added that the intention was to take the local brands and build them to a global level. Recalling the Direct Benefit Transfer reforms, PM Awaz Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana, Swachh Bharat Yojana, Ayushmann Bharat scheme, PM Fasal Bima Yojana, PM Kisan Yojana, PSB clean-up, GST reforms and power sector reforms undertaken in the Modi government's tenure so far, Sitharaman observed that they were the foundation of self-reliant India. 

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