PM Modi's Free Ration Announcement, Chhath Puja And Most Awaited Bihar Polls

Prime Minister's announcement comes at a time when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with its ally in state Janata Dal United (JDU) have upped their election campaigning game in Bihar.

Govt plans to spend Rs 90,000 crore on expanding the free ration scheme. (File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: In his address to nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made two big ticket announcements earlier today including extension of the free ration scheme, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana till the end of November and an assurance to launch 'one nation, one ration card' initiative at the earliest possible.  However, what could be worth noting in PM Modi's 16 minute-long speech was his statement while announcing the extension of free ration scheme. "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.

Prime Minister @narendramodi addresses nation & announces extension of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana

✅The Scheme extended till Deepawali & Chhath Puja, ie till the end of November (1/n) Read here: https://t.co/ZLKLrt19I9 — PIB India (@PIB_India) June 30, 2020

Under the scheme, Central government plans to spend Rs 90,000 crore on expanding the free ration scheme, the Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojana, till November. What caught attention was PM Modi's reference of extending the PMGKAY up to Chhath Puja in November. Several on social media pointed out PM's reference of Chhath Puja, which is one of the most important festivals of Bihar, where Assembly Elections are due later this year. Prime Minister's announcement comes at a time when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with its ally in state Janata Dal United (JDU) have upped their election campaigning game in Bihar. Soon after PM Modi's announcement, Deputy Chief Minster of Bihar and BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said that PM is deeply connected to the poor as he understands what the poor suffered. "The Gareeb Kalyan scheme helped 8.71 crore people in Bihar and ensured that no one went hungry. I had called (Home Minister) Amit Shah and requested that the scheme be extended by three months. It has been extended by five," Sushil Modi tweeted in Hindi. It could be considered that PM Modi's announcement will, to at extent, cool down the anger amongst people over the way Nitish Kumar-led government's shoddy way of handling migrant crisis during lockdown. In his speech, PM Modi also said that Central government 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 Prime Minister's sixth address to the nation after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. Underscoring the enormity of the free ration scheme, Modi said it covers two and half times the population of the United States, 12 times the population of the United Kingdom and double the population of the European Union. Each member of a family covered under the scheme will get five kilogram wheat or rice, and every family will get one kilogram whole gram per month as well. The Union government, PM Modi added, is also spending Rs 50,000 crore for providing employment to people in rural India.