From Sunday, the Uttar Pradesh government is kick-starting the extended massive ration distribution campaign in which more than 15 crore ration card users will receive double free ration.
The ration distribution campaign will be taken to every poor through 80,000 kotedars (fair price shops).
Touted to be one of the biggest food distribution schemes, it is aimed at reducing the woes of the economically marginalised citizens who are not able to arrange ration and food due to COVID-19. For the first time, along with wheat and rice, the ration card holders in Uttar Pradesh will receive a litre of refined oil and a kilo each of salt and pulses, free.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday gave instructions that the ration be distributed through parliamentarians and local public representatives. He also asked the officials to make elaborate arrangements for the distribution of ration and ensure that every single eligible person got the benefit of the scheme.
The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, which was started due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was to end in November this year. In this scheme, free ration was being given to all the ration card holders.
On behalf of the state government, Yogi declared free ration distribution until Holi on November 3 in Ayodhya. Later, the Central government also extended the ration distribution under PMGKAY till March, 2022. In this way, the beneficiaries will now receive 10 kg of wheat/rice from now onwards.
Notably, there are around 1,30,07,969 units of beneficiaries under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana and 13,41,77, 983 units under eligible household card holders.