More than 80 crore NFSA beneficiaries to be provided additional 80 LMTs of foodgrains under PMGKAY 2021

New Delhi [India], April 25 (ANI): Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY) scheme announced by the Union government for the month of May and June, it has been decided to allocate free-of-cost food grains at the rate of 5 Kg per person per month to nearly 80 Crore beneficiaries covered under National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA).
"This allocation would be over and above NFSA foodgrains for next two months i.e. May and June 2021 on the same pattern as the earlier "Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY)," the Ministry of Consumer Affairs said.
Shudhanshu Pandey Secretary Department of Food and Public Distribution said that approximately 179 LMT foodgrains, for NFSA and the above-said scheme will have to be supplied in May and June 2021, for which Food Corporation of India (FCI) is fully geared and has adequate availability of stocks of food grain in states or UTs.
He added that the planned movement of stocks of foodgrains procured in Kharif Marketing season 2020-21 and ongoing procurement in Rabi Marketing season 2021-22, will take care of any requirements during this period.
"Under this special scheme, around 80 Crore NFSA beneficiaries covered under both categories of NFSA, namely Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Householders (PHH), will be provided with an additional quota of free-of-cost foodgrains (Rice/Wheat) at a scale of 5 Kg per person per month, over and above their regular monthly entitlements under NFSA," an official statement said.
"The Secretary informed that during 2020-21, Government of India had announced PMGKAY-I (April-June 2020) and PMGKAY-II (July-November 2020) under which 104 LMT wheat and 201 LMT rice, total 305 LMT foodgrains were successfully supplied by FCI to the respective State or UT governments," it added. (ANI)