Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said that the financial expenditure on the free distribution of ration to over 80 crore poor people under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) this year will be Rs 93,869 crores. After the outbreak of the second wave in April 2021, the PMGKAY scheme was reintroduced, initially for May-June and then extended till November this year. The total money spent on PMGKAY will be Rs 2,27,841 crores. Besides, farmers to get additional protein-based fertilizer subsidy of nearly Rs 15,000 crores. To revive the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC), the government has announced a package of Rs 77.45 crore proposed for financial restructuring and infusion of funds.
Addressing a press conference to announce fresh stimulus measures for the economy, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the estimated financial implication for providing free foodgrains is Rs 93,869 crore for this year. The Centre spent Rs 1,33,972 crore last fiscal on this scheme. The total financial implication is estimated at Rs 2,27,841 crore for PMGKAY, Sitharaman added.
In the wake of the second wave of Covid-19, the scheme was relaunched in May 2021 to ensure the food security of the poor. Then on June 23, cabinet approved the proposal to extend it by five more months till November-end.