Some time back, the Congress urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be bold in declaring a financial package of at least 5 to 6 percent of India's GDP to ensure economic recovery post the COVID-19 lockdown.

The opposition party also demanded that the central government pays all pending dues to states to enable them to fight the coronavirus outbreak, besides also giving each of them special economic packages.

Meanwhile, only 15 percent of poor households have received 1 kg of pulses in April as part of the Centre’s welfare package, reported The Hindu.

Of 1.96 lakh tonnes of pulses that were assigned to be distributed so far, only 30,000 tonnes have been distributed, said a report by the Consumer Affairs Department.

According to an announcement by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 26 March, all 80 crore National Food Security Act beneficiaries were to get an extra 5 kg of rice or wheat each month, while 1 kg of pulses of pulses were to be distributed to every household.

(Inputs: The Indian Express and The Hindu)