The Centre has released Rs 2,94,718 crore to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state governments for food subsidy under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and National Food Security Act (NFSA) during 2021-22, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said on Wednesday.
This release of food subsidy is about 140 per cent of the food subsidy released during 2020-21 and about 267 per cent of the food subsidy released during 2019-20, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution data showed.
In order to address the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of India has released additional foodgrain free of cost @ 5 kg per person per month, to more than 80 crore National Food Security Act (NFSA) beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY), over and above their entitlement of foodgrain under NFSA.
This additional allocation has been made in five phases so far from April 2020 to March 2022. Since its inception a total of 758 LMT of foodgrain has been allocated under the Scheme with a financial implication of Rs 2.60 lakh crore, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said in a statement.
PMGKAY has now been extended till September 2022, which will involve an additional allocation of 244 LMT of foodgrain with an additional financial implication of about Rs 80,851 crore.
A total of 1,175 LMT of foodgrain including procurement of wheat during the Rabi Marketing Season 2021-22 and paddy in Kharif Marketing Season 2021-22 has been achieved with a direct payment of Rs 2.31 lakh crore of Minimum Support Price benefitting more than 154 lakh farmers, the ministry said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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