Union Cabinet Approves Free Foodgrain Scheme 'Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana' For Another 5 Years

NEW DELHI: Months ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, the Narendra Modi government today approved the extension of free foodgrain scheme 'PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana' which was started in April 2020 to help people combat hardships faced by the poor and needy due to economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

Under the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the union cabinet met today and decided to extend the public distribution program's five-year duration of free grain distribution by the federal government to all eligible individuals. When the Covid epidemic first broke out, the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana was launched. Under this scheme, holders of ration cards were eligible to receive an extra five kg of grains (either rice or wheat, depending on their preference). 

As part of the increased food distribution program, chana was also being offered. During his election rallies earlier this month, Prime Minister Modi himself announced the extension of the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana by the center. The PMGKAY program was first introduced in 2020–21, but it was only announced for three months (April–June 2020). However, it was extended until December 2022 in seven consecutiv phases.

The scheme has 80 crore beneficiaries. During an election rally in Durg on November 4, Chhattisgarh the Prime Minister had made the announcement of the decision to extend the free ration scheme.

"I have decided that the BJP government will extend the scheme of providing free ration to 80 crore poor people of the country for the next 5 years. Your affections and blessings give me the power to take such decisions, " PM Modi had said. 

Earlier, the Central Government had decided to remove the financial burden of the poor beneficiaries and to ensure nationwide uniformity and effective implementation of NFSA, and had decided to provide foodgrains free of cost to the beneficiaries covered under NFSA, 2013, for a period of one year, beginning January 01, 2023.  (With agency inputs)