While ensuring transparency in the public distribution system, the UP government has so far provided free food grains to more than 96 per cent of beneficiaries across the state for May-June under PMGKY.
In order to help the migrants, poor and under-priviledged sections to tide over the hardship of Covid times, the government is providing 5 kg food grains free of cost to over 14.71 crore beneficiaries. Under the scheme, each beneficiary is supposed to be given 3 kg of wheat and 2 kg of rice.
An official of the Food and Supply department said that a total of around 1471859.520 MT of food grains was allotted by the Central government to distribute among the 14.71 crore beneficiaries of UP and the state government has till now distributed more than 1414906.605 MT of ration among the card holders of Antyodaya and Eligible Households Category. A total of 848944.003 MT of wheat and 565962.602 MT of Rice has been distributed under the scheme. Notably, there are around 1,30,07,969 units of beneficiaries under the Antyodaya Ann Yojna and 13,41,77, 983 units under Eligible Household card holders.
In May, about 33499599 card holders received a ration that included a total number of 141146920 beneficiaries. Similarly in June, ration was distributed to over 141834401 beneficiaries of as many as 33695326 card holders of the state.
As per Central government directives, the distribution from PMGKY will continue till Diwali. The UP government is also providing a free dry ration for June, July and August, which is over and above the ration provided under PMGKY.
While distribution through ePoS devices ensures that subsidised foodgrains were being provided to the rightful beneficiary through biometric authentication, integration of ePoS devices with electronic weighing scales was ensuring that the beneficiary was being given the right quantity of foodgrains by fair price shop dealers.