In a big relief to the poorer sections of society amid the devastating second wave of coronavirus pandemic, the Centre on Friday announced it will provide free food grains for the months of May and June, 2021 on the same pattern as last year’s Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY).
Under the scheme, each beneficiary under National Food Security Act will get 5 kg per person per month for the next two months May and June. This will be over and above their entitlement of 5 kg of rice, wheat and coarse grains at Rs 3, 2 and Re 1 per kg respectively.
Several State Governments including Rajasthan, Kerala and Uttarakhand and MPs, including NCP chief Sharad Pawar and TMC leader Saugata Roy, have urged the Centre to restart distribution of free food grains to 80 crore poor people under the PMGKAY in view of the second wave of COVID-19.
“Under this special scheme (PMGKAY), around 80 Crore NFSA beneficiaries covered under both categories of NFSA, namely Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Householders (PHH), will be provided with an additional quota of free-of-cost food grains (Rice/Wheat) at a scale of 5 kg per person per month, over and above their regular monthly entitlements under NFSA. The government will bear all expenditure of over Rs 26,000 crore on account of food subsidy and Central assistance to States/UTs on account of intrastate transportation,” the Ministry said.
About 80 lakh tonne of food grains will be required to meet the demand for two months. The move, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to the poor, will cost the exchequer over Rs 26,000 crore, including on account of interstate transportation of food grains.
“In view of the impact of coronavirus, Rs 26000 crore will be spent to provide five kg of food grains for two months under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojna. I congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the same. The move will benefit about 80 crore people of the country. The Modi Government stands with the country at every step in this disaster”, Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted while congratulating the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resume the free food grain to poor.
The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) was announced in 2020 for three months till July and later extended till November to combat the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the poor. Under the PMGKAY last year, over 200 lakh tonne of free food grains were provided amounting to a fiscal outgo of over Rs 75,000 crore, covering 80.96 crores NFSA beneficiaries.