Gandhinagar, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Thursday announced Rs 650 crore package for 65 lakh families of the poor, labourers, unorganised workers, construction workers of the state.

Families of labourers, unorganised workers, construction workers, house-helps in the state will be provided Rs 1,000 for the month of April, Rupani said.

Moreover, CM also announced that now Rs 1.50 electricity duty will be charged on consumption of 50 units while earlier it was on 30 units for the BPL families. The fixed charges on electricity bill have also been waived off for the month of April for small industries, factories and MSMEs in the state.

The state government also announced Rs 30-35 crore financial aid for 'Gaushalas' and 'cattle ponds'. Under this Rs 25 per animal for the month of April will be provided to all 'Gaushalas' and 'cattle ponds'.

The government has also allowed advance allowance to the pensioners, widows and divyangs of the state.

"Rs 221 crore have been deposited in such person's bank accounts. This will benefit more than 13 lakh in the state," said Ashwani Kumar, secretary to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) in a media briefing on Thursday.

"The Gujarat government has also directed small and large businesses and the MSMEs to pay their employee's salaries and wages to their labourers regularly without any deductions till April 14, till the lockdown period," added Kumar.

Kumar informed that the 'Ann Brahma' scheme for the migrant labourers from other states like Uttar Pradesh (UP), Madhya Pradesh (MP), Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, who do not have ration cards in Gujarat, will be provided food grains and other food items.

"The scheme will start from the fourth and district administration is preparing a list of such labourers," he said.

"There are 83 relief camps set-up across the state right now, where poor families of migrant labourers and others are being provided food and shelter. Many NGOs, organisations and charitable trusts are also carrying out such work and helping the government in such circumstances," added Kumar.