CONG TAKES CREDIT FOR FREE RATION; SAYS ‘SUGGESTED MULTIPLES TIMES’

NEW DELHI: Soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the extension of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) by five more months till November, Congress took the credit for it saying that the announcement came in response to party president Sonia Gandhi's letter to PM Modi on June 22 in which she had requested him to provide free food grains to the poor for three more months from July in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation across the country.

“It is important to remember that this extension of the scheme was suggested multiple times by the Congress president in her letter to the Prime Minister,” Supriya Shrinate said while addressing a virtual news conference.

In her letter to the Prime Minister on June 22, Gandhi had also said that millions of Indians are at risk of slipping into poverty due to the strict nationwide lockdown for the past three months.

Gandhi had recalled that the provision for the supply of 5 kg free food grains per person every month to Antyodaya Anna Yojana and priority households under the National Food Security Act from Apriljune in addition to regular entitlements was announced at the beginning of the lockdown. “The Centre must consider extending the provision for free food grains for a further period of three months i.e. from Julyseptember 2020. Several states have requested for the same,” Gandhi had said. However, lashing out at the PM, Shrinate said, “After the PM'S announcement, it's clear that COVID-19 impact to last till November and his various references to Chatth Puja and Bihar make it crystal clear he has only state elections on his mind.”

Does he realise people need milk, vegetables, medicine for which they need money and which is why direct cash transfer is the only means to address their misery and rescue the economy, she asked?