Cabinet approves extension of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana until November

The Cabinet on Wednesday accredited a proposal to increase the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) to offer free ration to over 80 crore individuals, principally poor, by 5 extra months until November-end.
The PMGKAY was reintroduced for 2 months until June this yr in an effort to minimise the financial hardships being confronted by the poor PDS (public distribution system) beneficiaries in the course of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Early this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi whereas addressing the nation had introduced that the Centre’s free meals programme PMGKAY will likely be prolonged for 5 months until Diwali.
The identical proposal was accredited within the Cabinet assembly, chaired by Modi, on Wednesday.

“The Union Cabinet has approved the allocation of additional foodgrain under PMGKAY (Phase IV) for another period of five months i.e. July to November 2021…,” stated an official assertion.
The free provide of grains will ameliorate the hardships confronted by the poor as a consequence of financial disruption attributable to the coronavirus, it added.
No poor household will endure on account of the non-availability of foodgrains as a consequence of disruption within the subsequent 5 months, the assertion stated.
Five-kilo foodgrains per individual per thirty days is offered freed from price below the PMGKAY to 81.35 crore beneficiaries lined below National Food Security Act (NFSA), it famous.
This is over and above distribution of extremely month-to-month subsidised foodgrains of 5 kg per individual given at Rs 1-3 per kg through ration outlets to poor beneficiaries lined below the NFSA.
The authorities stated the sanction of extra meals grains below the PMGKAY for 5 extra months would entail an estimated meals subsidy of Rs 64,031 crore.
As the central authorities is bearing all the expenditure in direction of this scheme with none contribution by states, an extra expenditure of about Rs 3,234.85 crore can be required to be met in direction of transportation and dealing with and ration store sellers’ margins, and so forth by the federal government, the assertion stated.
“Thus, the total estimated expenditure to be borne by the Government of India will be Rs 67,266.44 crore,” it added.

The foodgrains outgo will likely be 204 lakh tonne for 5 months distribution below the PMGKAY.
The Food Ministry will determine on the allocation of wheat and rice. It might also determine on the extension of the lifting/distribution interval below Phase III and Phase IV of the PMGKAY as per operational necessities, arising out of antagonistic climate circumstances like monsoon, snowfall, and so forth. and provide chain and COVID-induced constraints, in keeping with the assertion.