World Bank so far provided three loans worth 2.5 bn dollars to support Covid-19 pandemic: Govt

Minister of State for Finance Anurag Singh Thakur has said that the World Bank has so far provided three loans worth 2.5 billion dollars to support Government of India’s response to COVID-19 pandemic situation.

In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha yesterday, Mr Thakur said, for health 1 billion dollars, for social protection 0.75 billion dollars and for economic stimulus 0.75 billion dollars have been provided and the benefits of which have accrued to all States and UTs.  

The Minister said, the first loan relating to health measures worth 1,000 million dollars was signed on 3rd April this year to part finance Government of India’s 15 thousand crore rupees COVID Health measures to prevent, detect and respond to the threat posed by COVID-19 and strengthen national systems



for public health preparedness.

He said, as on date, 502.5 million dollars has been disbursed under the loan. He added that the second loan relating to social protection measures worth 750 million dollars was signed on 15th May this year as budgetary support to Government of India for ‘Accelerating India's COVID-19 Social Protection Response Programme’ to support relief measures to beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package.

This loan has been fully disbursed as on date. The third loan relating to economic stimulus measures worth 750 million dollars was signed on 6th July this year as budgetary support to Government of India in order to support MSMEs under Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Package. This loan has also been fully disbursed as on date.