Modi Government: After Diwali, Modi government has given good news to the countrymen. Under this, now Modi government has announced to provide free ration. 80 crore people are going to benefit from this. Let us know about it…
Ration: The Center on Wednesday said it is providing free food grains to more than 80 crore people under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKAY) for a period of one year starting from January 1, 2023. Recently, while addressing a public rally in Durg (Chhattisgarh), Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that his government’s free ration scheme PMGKAY has been extended for the next five years. The opposition Congress party has called this announcement a violation of the election code of conduct. At present elections are being held in five states.
Free food grains
In an official statement, the food ministry said the Center is “providing free food grains to the beneficiaries of Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) families and Priority Households (PHH) under PMGKAY for a period of one year starting from January 1, 2023.” In December last year, the Center decided to merge PMGKAY with the National Food Security Act (NFSA), launched to provide additional food grains free of cost in the year 2020.
This much grain is available
Under the NFSA, 75 per cent of the rural population and 50 per cent of the urban population is being covered under two categories – Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and priority housing. Whereas AAY families, who are the poorest of the poor, are entitled to 35 kg of food grains per family per month. Priority families get five kilograms of food grains per person per month.
Help the poor
The ministry said that the free food grains are being distributed to relieve the financial burden of poor beneficiaries and to ensure nationwide uniformity and effective implementation of the NFSA (Year 2013). It further said that the decision was taken to strengthen the provisions of NFSA in terms of access, purchasing affordability and availability of food grains for the poor. The ministry said the move was to ensure effective and equitable implementation of NFSA (One Nation-One Price-One Ration).
