SME Times News Bureau | 21 Jul, 2021
The Government is taking various measures to ease
out liquidity and steep increase in commodity prices and its impact on
infrastructure on the back of COVID-19 pandemic, stated Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary in a
written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
The Minister stated that measures have also been
announced in Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Package (ANBP) to provide support to sectors
including infrastructure to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.
In the announcement made on 28th June,
2021 to give relief to the economy inter-alia Rs 1.1 lakh crore loan guarantee
scheme for COVID-19 affected sectors and additional Rs 1.5 lakh crore for
Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme have been announced.
The Minister further said that the Government is
periodically reviewing the capital expenditure (CAPEX) of Infrastructure
projects in the country to strengthen economic growth.
Ministries/Departments have been instructed to
frontload the CAPEX spending of infra projects in order to provide boost to
infrastructure sector.
The performance security requirement in Central
Government contracts has been reduced from 10% to 3% for all tenders/contracts
issued concluded till 31.12.2021 and requirement of bid security has been
waived till the end of 2021, the Minister stated.