A new emergency response package worth Rs 23,123 crore to tackle the coronavirus pandemic was announced by the central government on Thursday, following the first meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's revamped cabinet on Thursday.
Announcing the relief aid, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said of the Rs 23,123 crore, Rs 15,000 crore will be given by the Centre while the remaining Rs 8,000 will be the states' contribution. This is aimed at preventing a shortage of medicines, and essential items and will be implemented in nine months. The aid will be used to create a buffer stock of medicines, the minister said.
A day after the major reboot, a number of newly appointed ministers took charge of their assignments, including Mansukh Mandaviya - the new Health Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw - the new Railways and IT minister, and Anurag Thakur - the new Information and Broadcasting minister.
PM Modi unveiled a new council of ministers on Wednesday with unexpected high-profile exits and expected bump-ups for politically meaningful sections in a huge push to revive his government's flagging popularity before key polls.
A number of key portfolios - including health, law, information and technology and railways - have gone to new ministers and junior ministers who were elevated in PM Modi's Council of Ministers that underwent a reboot. The total strength of the Council of Ministers is now 78, including the Prime Minister.
The current reshuffle has boosted the number of cabinet ministers from 21 to 30 and the number of junior ministers from 23 to 45. There are fewer junior ministers with Independent Charge - the figure has dropped from nine to two.
