Rajasthan leads in handing out free grain

Rajasthan fared the best in distribution of free foodgrain to returning migrants as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme announced in May, among the six states that saw the maximum number of returnees.

The remaining five, which include large states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, distributed less than 5 per cent of their quota for May and June, even as they had lifted almost the entire allocated quantities from the central pool for both the months.

Across the country, state governments had till Juneend distributed 17 per cent of the allocated quota, covering around 21.3 million of the estimated 80 million beneficiaries. Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Odisha are the other states that saw the maximum number of returning migrants.

Under the Atmanirbhar scheme, the central government provides 5 kilograms (kg) of free grain to an estimated 80 million migrants along with 1 kg free chana (whole gram) for May and June. This was to be provided to people without ration cards or those not listed in any food programme.

Data shows Rajasthan lifted its entire quota of 44,662 tonnes of grain for the two months, and distributed 95 per cent of it.

In contrast, Bihar — which was allocated 86,450 tonnes — distributed just 4.3 per cent of May’s quota and nothing from June’s allocated quantity. The data is till July 1. Bihar lifted 100 per cent of the quota.

UP lifted almost the entire allocated quantity of 142,033 tonnes of grain from FCI warehouses but gave out 3.1 per cent of May’s quota and 1.6 per cent of June’s to returnees.

Madhya Pradesh and Odisha did not lift even 5 per cent of their allocated quantity.

Jharkhand, on the other hand, lifted 100 per cent of its allocated quota, but distributed just 0.3 per cent of it in both the months.

Of the 800,000 tonnes allocated by the Centre for the entire country, states lifted 80 per cent of it but distributed just 15.2 per cent of May’s quota and 11.6 per cent of June’s.

West Bengal, which lags in free distribution of grain to ration card holders, did better than the top six in giving it to returning migrants.

Food Secretary Sudhanshu Pandey has said the distribution of free grain and pulses under the Garib Kalyan Yojana and to migrant labourers would cost the exchequer ~1.49 trillion. This includes ~1.23 trillion for free grain and ~11,800 crore for pulses under both packages.

Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan recently called upon states to be more “sensitive” towards the poor during this Covid-19 crisis and take proactive measures in distributing grain. “We have no problem in providing foodgrain to states. When it is being given free, I don’t understand what the problem with distribution is. We are taking this issue seriously,” Paswan had said at a digital press conference.

On availability of chana for distribution in the next five months under the scheme, Paswan said the government has more than 2.9 million tonnes of it in stock.