New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has allocated 80 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) food grains to all states and Union Territories.
The food grains have been allocated for free distribution among the poor people who are reeling under the Covid crisis.
The move comes under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for May and June.
So far, 33 states and Union Territories have claimed 56,06,896 MT of food grains, including 25,83,985 MT of wheat and 30,22,911 MT of rice, allocated for May.
Read:| 36 states, UTs lifted 31.80 LMT food grains so far under PMGKAY
The responsibility of the distribution of food grains to the needy rests with the states.
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh, Puducherry and Lakshadweep have claimed their entire lot of food grains allocated for both May and June from the depots of the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
Amid the COVID19 pandemic, the One Nation One Ration Card Scheme is expected to benefit the poor as they can claim free grains from government ration stores in any part of the country.
Read:| 80LMT of food grains to be distributed under PMGKAY in May and June
The scheme is operational in 32 states and union territories and Delhi, Bengal, Assam and Chhattisgarh are yet to open this scheme.
Under the PMGKAY, 5 kg of food grains (wheat-rice) have been given free of cost to the 80 crore beneficiaries under the National Food Security Scheme (NFSA) in May. The government will continue the scheme in June as well.
The Centre is spending nearly Rs. 26,000 crores on PMGKAY for the two months.
Read:| Centre asks states to keep ration shops open on all days, for longer duration
