New Delhi: The Left parties on Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi extending the PMGKAY scheme to provide 5 kg free ration to the needy is not enough as 10 kg per month is required to prevent hunger deaths.
They said extension of the scheme's period had been their demand throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a televised address this evening, Modi announced extension of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) by five months till November end. Under the programme over 80 crore people, mostly poor, will be provided 5 kg of wheat or rice and one kg of pulses.
The scheme was rolled out for three months from April, soon after the nationwide lockdown was announced to contain the spread of COVID-19.
"Bowing to people's protests Modi government has extended the provision of 5 kg grains free for 80 crore people for next 5 months. This falls far short of the required 10 kg per month for 6 months to all needy to prevent hunger deaths," CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said.
"After this announcement extra food grains allocation was only 26 (lakh tonnes) in April & 29 lakh tonnes in May. Modi must release money from the thousands of crores of rupees collected in the private trust fund to combat COVID for free provision of 10 kg grains per month for 6 months to all needy," he said.