Second Accelerating India's COVID-19 Social Protection Response (PMGKY)

closed

The development objective of the Second Accelerating India's COVID-19 Social Protection Response (PMGKY) Development Policy Operation in India is to strengthen the capability of state and national governments in India to provide coordinated and adequate social protection to the poor and vulnerable from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program also ensures an adequate package of social protection, meaning that the size of the benefits transferred should compensate for losses in consumption expenditures and prevent households from falling below the poverty line. The program accelerates the delivery of social assistance at the state and national level through three pillars: (i) accelerating the provision of adequate social protection for the poor and vulnerable by scaling up cash/in-kind assistance through pre-existing national platforms and programs (safety nets, e-payments architecture, self-help groups and disaster management protocols); (ii) providing robust social protection for essential workers involved in COVID-19 relief efforts; and (iii) ensuring vulnerable groups have access to PMGKY benefits through reform measures aimed at expanding points of last-mile delivery. The third pillar is critical to ensure migrants and informal workers - at risk of exclusion - can avail of social protection at this time of crisis. A fourth pillar supports important climate actions through national development policy operations.