New Delhi: The Union Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday decided to extend the free foodgrains supply under 'PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana' to provide free ration till March 2022 to provide relief to ration cardholders.
The government has decided to extend additional free 5-kg foodgrains scheme by four months till March 2022, Union Minister Anurag Thakur told reporters.
Under the scheme, 5 kg foodgrain per person per month is being provided free of cost to more than 80 crore beneficiaries.
The scheme was initially launched for three months from April 2020 to provide relief to poor people during the Coronavirus pandemic which lead to a nationwide lockdown. The scheme, however, has been extended several times since then.
The Government of India has also decided that food grain under Phase V would entail an estimated food subsidy of Rs 53,344.52 crores.
The 5 kg foodgrain is being provided over and above the normal quota under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
While making the announcement after the Cabinet meeting, Thakur said that the decision to extend the scheme will cost an additional Rs 53,344 crore to the exchequer, adding that the total cost of PMGKAY would reach about Rs 2.6 lakh crore, including this extension.
The PMGKAY was provided for three months (April-June 2020) to ameliorate distress caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, with the crisis continuing, the programme was extended for another five months (July-November 2020).
The scheme was once again rolled out by the Centre for two months (May-June 2021) and was further extended for five months (July-November 2021) after the onset of the second wave of the pandemic.