Centre announces free foodgrain for 80 crore PDS beneficiaries under PM Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana in May, June

The Government of India would spend more than Rs 26,000 crore for providing free food grains to the beneficiaries. (PTI)

The Central government has decided to provide free food grains to the poor under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana for two months – May and June. Officials said that 5 kg free food grains per person per month would be given to around 80 crore people for the two months.

“In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to the poor, the Government of India has decided to allocate free-of-cost food grains @ 5 Kg per person per month to nearly 80 Crore beneficiaries covered under National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) over and above NFSA foodgrains for next two months i.e. May and June 2021 on the same pattern as the earlier “Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY),” said the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution in a statement.

The statement added, “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 foodgrains (Rice/Wheat) at a scale of 5 Kg per person per month, over and above their regular monthly entitlements under NFSA.”

PM Modi has stressed that it is important that the poor have nutritional support when the country is facing a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. The Government of India would spend more than Rs 26,000 crore on this initiative.

Home Minister Amit Shah said that the Centre is standing with countrymen in this grave time. “I thank PM Narendra Modi for providing 5 kg of food grains for two months under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana with a cost of Rs 26,000 crore. The Modi government stands with the countrymen at every step in this pandemic,” he said.

The Centre had earlier provided free foodgrains during the coronavirus-induced lockdown last year.