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While the PM is busy giving a sermon on why people should not leave home this Sunday and clap hands from their balcony, #Kerala has announced a very real Rs 20000 cr financial package. In other words, sorry we are in a hurry.

What does this mean? Thread

I spoke to sm1 who worked on this. My first que: WHY? This is prob Kerala's biggest aid, larger than the one after history's worst floods in '18& its repeat in '19. His reply: There is a possibility of the situation getting worse. So we are planning for the worst-case scenario.

What does this entail? The bulk of the Kerala package, Rs 140000 cr, is to clear various dues the govt owes to individuals and institutions. This could pump a lot of money into the system at a time when the economy is nearly paralysed.

The rest: Rs 2000 cr in consumer loans via women's only org Kudumbashree (money for emergency spending in families), Rs 1320 cr to disburse two-months welfare pension in advance (at least Rs 1000 in the hands of seniors), and a Rs 500 crore health package (details not yet known)

Plus: Rs 2000 cr for more rural jobs under MGNREGA (this has Thomas Isaac written all over it, but wonder how they will work if we get to the point of mass isolation), Rs 100 cr for free ration up to 10kg this month. Ps: The nos dnt add up as journos are yet to get a full breakup

Some context on the social security pension: Kerala already has one of the widest nets of per capita social security pension in the country. Nearly 50 lakh people get about Rs 1000 every month. With the new package, Kerala will deliver March and April pensions in March itself.

Also: Kerala already had a plan in the 2020 budget to open 1000 budget food stalls, for giving meals at Rs 25. Under the new package, this will be completed earlier than scheduled, and at a lower price of Rs 20 per meal. Govt will have to spend an additional Rs 50 crore.

The CM also announced that people will be allowed a one-month extension to pay their water and power bills in view of the crisis, apart from a slew of other schemes for industrial bodies such as relaxation in taxes and due dates.

To be read closely with this: Kerala's list of people under observation has spiked from 31,173 from about 3,000 in early March when the spread started. However, only 237 of them are in hospitals. The rest are at their homes. The state has 25 active Covid-19 cases.