Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday made a big announcement that the Central government will pay provident fund (PF) contribution for both the employer and the employee till 2022 for those who were called back to work for small scale jobs in the formal sector after losing their job.
She also highlighted the Centre’s effort to support migrant workers who returned to their native place after losing jobs in the informal sector.
“If in a district, more than 25,000 migrant workers working in the informal sector return to their native place, they will get benefits from 16 Central schemes for employment. In 2020, we increased the MGNREGA budget from Rs 60,000 cr to around Rs 1 lakh crore due to Covid,” the minister said.
FM Sitharaman was in Lucknow for the launch of several schemes and initiatives. She addressed the audience at the launch of ‘Mission Shakti 3.0’, under which Rs 30.12 crores were transferred in the account of 1.55 lakh girls. Sitharaman said women shall spearhead the development of Uttar Pradesh under chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s leadership.
