The Central Government on Wednesday mentioned that they expect to spend Rs. 2.60 lakh crores on food grains under the Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojana till March 2022. From April 2020 to March 2022, the Centre anticipates to spend the amount around the betterment and progress of poor people in our country.
Previously over Rs. 3019 crores were provided and about around 8 lakhs MT of food grains were distributed under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Yojana for the poor. Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan is the mission started by the Government of India on 13th May 2020, towards making India Self-reliant. Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi announced an economic package of INR 20 lakh crore as aid to support the country in the times of pandemic.
For food grains (including pulses and chana) the total financial implication is about Rs 2.75 lakh crores, the Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ashwini Kumar Choubey said in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha. The minister stated, that for pulses and chana, a total of Rs 5,140 crore under PMGKAY-I (April-June 2020), over Rs 6,999 crore under PMGKAY-II (July-November 2020) and a total of Rs 280 crore between May-June 2020 under ANB scheme had been distributed yet.
1 Kg of pulses and chana was distributed among households every month, free of cost to 19.4 crore beneficiary households under the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA), under PMGKY-I and II. Similarly, 1kg of whole chana per household per month, free of cost, during May and June 2020 to migrants who were neither covered under NFSA nor state scheme of PDS Cards, Lok Sabha was informed.
Additionally, 5 kg food grains (rice and wheat) per person, per month was provided at free of cost, to all the beneficiaries covered under NFSA under PMGKAY between April-November in 2020 and between May 2021-March 2022 tentatively.
