The Union Cabinet on Saturday extended the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY) scheme for another six months - till September 2022 - with each beneficiary eligible to get an additional 5 kg free ration per month in addition to normal quota of foodgrains under the NFSA.
The Phase-V of PM-GKAY was to end in March. The scheme has been under implementation since April 2020 as the largest food security programme in the world.
The cabinet meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
An official release said the Government has spent approximately Rs. 2.60 lakh crore so far and another Rs 80,000 crore will be spent over the next six months till September 2022 taking the total expenditure under PM-GKAY to nearly Rs. 3.40 lakh crore.
The release said the decision is in keeping with "the concern and sensitivity towards poor and vulnerable sections of society".
"This will cover nearly 80 crore beneficiaries across India and like before would be fully funded by the Government of India. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly abated and economic activities are gathering momentum, this PM-GKAY extension would ensure that no poor household goes to bed without food during this time of recovery," the release said.
"Under the extended PM-GKAY each beneficiary will get an additional 5 kg free ration per person per month in addition to his normal quota of foodgrains under the NFSA (National Food Security Act). This means that every poor household would get nearly double the normal quantity of ration," it added.
The government had allocated about 759 LMT of free foodgrains under the PM-GKAY till Phase V. With another 244 LMT of free foodgrains under this extension (Phase VI), the aggregate allocation now stands at 1,003 LMT.
The benefit of the free ration can be availed through portability by any migrant labour or beneficiary under the One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) plan from nearly 5 lakh ration shops across the country.
So far, over 61 crore portability transactions have benefitted the beneficiaries away from their homes.
"This has been made possible due to highest ever procurement despite the century's worst pandemic with highest ever payment to farmers by the government," the release said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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