Central govt announces free rations for poor

The central government has offered relief to the poor amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis by announcing Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. As per this new plan, the central government will distribute free rations to the poor in the months of May and June.

New Delhi:The central government has offered relief to the poor amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis by announcing Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. As per this new plan, the central government will distribute free rations to the poor.

The new policy will benefit almost 80 crore beneficiaries of the National Food Security Yojna. Under this scheme, 5 kgs of food grains will be distributed per person in the months of May and June. Earlier, the central government was offering food grains at highly subsidised rates but now they have made it free. The central government will also spend Rs 26,000 crores on the scheme.

The central government started the scheme last year, from March to November during the first phase of the Covid crisis. Under the scheme, beneficiaries received 5 kgs of rice or wheat and 1 kg of chickpeas.

Earlier, several states including Kerala, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra requested the central government to announce free rations to the poor. The Central Government announced the decision to offer free rations in light of the ongoing Covid-19 situations, where migrant labourers and daily wage earners are the worst affected.