Centre to provide foodgrains to over 80 crores NFSA beneficiaries under PM-GKAY scheme

NEW DELHI: On Saturday, the Modi government announces to deliver foodgrains to over 80 crores needy people, who are directly hit due to Covid-19 pandemic. The same will be given for the month of May & June 2021, respectively. The Secretary Department of Food & Public Distribution Sudhanshu Pandey briefed the media here in New Delhi.

The same will be given under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY). Every person will get 5 Kg food grains at no cost which are covered under National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA). This allocation would be over and above NFSA food grains for next two months May and June 2021 on the same pattern as the earlier “Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY)”.

Sudhanshu Pandey also informed that the Food Corporation of India will be providing additional 80 LMT food grains in the month of May and June 2021, under the special scheme to respective States and UT governments, in addition to their regular NFSA allocations. Approximately 179 LMT foodgrains, for NFSA & this scheme will have to be supplied in May and June 2021 for which FCI is fully geared and has adequate availability of stocks of food grain in States/UTs, he added further.

He also emphasised that the planned movement of stocks of foodgrains procured in Kharif Marketing season 2020-21 and ongoing procurement in Rabi Marketing season 2021-22, will take care of any requirements during this period.

Under this special scheme, 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 and Wheat) at a scale of 5 Kg per person per month, over and above their regular monthly entitlements under NFSA.

He further stated during 2020-21, government of India had announced PMGKAY-I (April-June 2020) and PMGKAY-II (July-November 2020) under which 104 LMT wheat and 201 LMT rice, total 305 LMT foodgrains were successfully supplied by FCI to the respective States and UT governments he added.