Rahul Gandhi Targets Modi Govt, Calls Finance Minister's Covid Relief Package 'Hoax'

<p><strong>New Delhi: </strong>Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday dubbed the relief package announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to support the Indian economy in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic a &ldquo;hoax&rdquo;.</p> <p>Escalating his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, Gandhi said no family can spend the &ldquo;economic package&rdquo; announced by the Finance Minister on their daily needs.</p> <p>&ldquo;No family can spend FM's 'economic package' on their living/food/medicine/child's school fees. It's not a package, but another sham!&rdquo; he said in a post tweeted in Hindi.</p> <p>[tw]https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1409734062906949633[/tw]</p> <p>The Congress leader&rsquo;s remarks came as Sitharaman earlier on Monday announced a relief package of over Rs six lakh 28 thousand crores.</p> <p>Addressing a press conference, Sitharaman announced the Covid economic relief package for the sectors severely affected by the second wave of coronavirus pandemic.</p> <p>Announcing a 1.1 lakh crore rupee loan guarantee scheme for the Covid-19 affected sectors, the Finance Minister said of them Rs 50 thousand crores will be for the health sector.</p> <p>The scheme is aimed at upscaling medical infrastructure targeting unreserved areas.</p> <p>Sitharaman said that the guarantee cover will be for expansion and new projects related to medical infrastructure in cities other than eight metropolitan cities.</p> <p>The Finance Minister also announced 1.5 lakh crore rupees for the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) which was launched as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Package in May 2020.</p> <p>In another relief measure, Sitharaman announced Credit Guarantee Scheme to facilitate loans to 25 lakh people through Micro Finance Institutions (MFI).</p> <p>Sitharaman announced financial support to more than 11,000 Registered Tourist Guides and Travel and Tourism Stakeholders. She also announced free tourist visas to five lakh tourists.</p>

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