Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana : Centre extends free food grain policy till September 30 at Rs 80,000 crore extra cost
The first phase of the scheme was operational from April to June 2020, while the second phase was operational from July to November 2020.
The third phase was operational from May to June 2021 while the fourth phase was operational from July to November 2021.
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana
((PM-GKAY)) scheme to provide 5 kg of food grains free of cost to the poor by six months till September 30 at a cost of Rs 80,000 crore.
chaired by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has extended the scheme for another six months i.e., till September 2022 (Phase VI).
This will cover nearly 80 crore beneficiaries across India and like before would be fully funded by the Government of India. In March 2020, the Centre had launched the scheme PM-GKAY, to provide free 5 kg foodgrains per person per month to over 80 crore beneficiaries covered under the
“The Government has spent approximately Rs. 2.60 Lakh Crore so far and another Rs. 80,000 Crore will be spent over the next 6 months till September 2022 taking the total expenditure under PM-GKAY to nearly Rs. 3.40 Lakh Crore.” an official statement said.
The first phase of the scheme was operational from April to June 2020, while the second phase was operational from July to November 2020. The third phase was operational from May to June 2021 while the fourth phase was operational from July to November 2021. The fifth phase came into effect following the extension in November 2021.
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.
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 of free foodgrains under the PM-GKAY now stands at 1,003 LMT of foodgrains.
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.