The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has reiterated that there is more than enough foodgrains stock in the central pool so there is no need to panic. As a special package during the country wide lockdown amidst COVID -19 pandemic, the Government of India introduced the Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) on March 26. Under the said scheme additional five kilogrammes of rice per person per month is to be distributed to the National Food Security Act (NFSA) beneficiaries for three months from April.
NFSA beneficiaries get five kilogrammes foodgrains per person per month (2 Kg Wheat @ Rs 2.0 Per Kg and 3 Kg rice @ Rs 3.0 per Kg) in normal course. However, due to PMGKAY the beneficiaries are getting 10 kilogrammes foodgrains per person per month of which the additional five kilogrammes rice is free. The Central Government also bears full cost of transportation and distribution for the additional allocation under PMGKAY.
For Uttarakhand, the Central government has allotted a total of 92,277 metric tonnes of rice amounting to Rs 304 crore free of cost under PMGKAY.
Against the total allotment, a total of 57,621 metric tonnes rice worth Rs 189.86 crore has already been issued free of cost (100% allocation of April and 76% allocation of May) upto May 6. This is being distributed to the beneficiaries from the PDS shops by the State Government. About 1,387 metric tonnes wheat was also allocated to the flour mills through State Government to avoid shortage of wheat flour in the market during lockdown. The FCI has also initiated a special drive for reimbursing the cost of foodgrains procured and delivered by the State government agencies into the Central pool with Rs 600 crore reimbursed to the Food Department and other State agencies. The 20 FCI depots have been functional throughout the lockdown with more than 325 staff and over 973 labourers working overtime even on holidays to ensure that the foodgrains reach the poor. FCI Uttarakhand region general manager BB Singh informed that the government has more than adequate stocks in central pool, so, there is absolutely no need of panic.