PM announces free ration for 80 cr people till Nov end

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced extension of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), a programme to provide free ration for over 80 crore people, mostly poor, by five more months till November end.

In a televised address to the nation, Modi said over Rs 90,000 crore will be spent on the programme’s extension, and if the last three months expenditure on account of the free ration scheme is added then the total budget will be about Rs 1.5 lakh crore. The scheme was rolled out for three months from April soon after the nationwide lockdown was announced to combat the COVID-19.

The PM noted that July marks the beginning of the festive season when people’s needs as well as expenditure increase. “Keeping all these things in mind, it has been decided to extend Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana up to Diwali and Chhath Puja till the November end,” Modi said on the eve of the start of ‘Unlock-2’ for a graded exit from the national lockdown that was imposed on March 25. ‘Unlock-1’ ends on Tuesday.

Modi said in his 16-minute address that the Central government is also working on the “one nation, one ration card” initiative which, he added, will benefit people living outside their home for employment and other needs the most. This is Modi’s sixth address to the nation after the outbreak of the pandemic. Modi also credited farmers and honest taxpayers for the government’s success in providing free ration to the needy and poor.

Speaking on the coronavirus situation, he said India is comparatively in a better position compared to many countries of the world, as timely imposition of lockdown and other decisions have saved lakhs of lives. But, he also expressed concern that since ‘Unlock-1’ began there is an increasing “negligence” in personal and social behaviour.