Cabinet nod for free food grain scheme

New Delhi: The Union government on Wednesday approved the allocation of additional food grain to the National Food Security Act (NFSA) beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (Phase III) for a period of two months - May and June 2021. An ex-post facto decision in this regard was taken here at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as under the scheme about 79.88 crore beneficiaries covered under NFSA and DBT would be given 5 kg food grains per person per month free of cost. "The allocation of additional food-grain free of cost to approximately 79.88 crore individuals under TPDS at 5 kg per person per month for two months, i.e., May to June 2021 would entail an estimated food subsidy of Rs 25,332.92 crore taking the estimated economic cost of Rs 36,789.2/MT for rice and Rs 25731.4/ MT for wheat," the government said in an official statement.

The State/UT-wise allocation in terms of wheat/rice shall be decided by the Department of Food and Public Distribution on the basis of the existing allocation ratio under NFSA, it said, adding that it might also decide on the extension of the lifting or distribution period under PMGKAY as per operational requirements keeping in view partial and local lockdown situations, and also arising out of adverse weather conditions like a monsoon, cyclones, supply chain and Covid-induced constraints, etc.

The total outgo in terms of food grains may be approximately 80 lakh metric tonne. "Additional allocation will ameliorate the hardships faced by the poor due to economic disruption caused by coronavirus. No poor family will suffer on account of no-availability of food-grains due to disruption in the next two months," the statement read.