Covid-19: Centre grants Rs 875 cr to Punjab, Rs 1,198 cr to Himachal and Rs 245.50 cr to Haryana

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 3

The Finance Ministry on Friday released over Rs 17,000 crore to states to help them tide over the economic crunch due to coronavirus.

The allocation of the 15th Finance Commission grant is divided into two components: Rs 6,195 crore as revenue deficit grant to 13 states with Rs 638.25 crore apportioned to Punjab and Rs 952.58 crore to Himachal Pradesh.

In the second component of Rs 11,067 crore, which is the first instalment of Central share of State Disaster Response Mitigation Fund (SDRMF), Punjab gets Rs 247.50 crore, Haryana Rs 245.50 crore and Himachal Pradesh Rs 204.50 crore.

The maximum grant-in-aid to cover revenue deficit on proportionate basis to 13 states goes to Kerala Rs 1,276 crore followed by Rs 952.58 crore to Himachal Pradesh.

Punjab comes next in terms of the amount allocated to states while Meghalaya with Rs 40 crore gets the least.

In the amount released under the SDRMF, Maharashtra gets the maximum amount of over Rs 1,600 crore, followed by Rs 910 crore to Madhya Pradesh.

“The allocation will enable states to enhance their financial resources during the COVID-19 crisis,” said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.