Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)

Central government launched Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) last year in the month of March, for providing food grains quota of 5 kgs per person to the poor and people belonging to weaker economic background. This scheme covers all the beneficiaries under National Food Security Act (NFSA). This scheme was mainly launched for assisting the poor during the pandemic situations. It was announced for 3 months last year starting from May 2020 to June 2020 then it was further extended to November 2020. Amidst the second wave of the pandemic this scheme was resumed for helping the beneficiaries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on June 7, 2021 and made a major announcement of an extension to this scheme till this Diwali i.e., till November, 2021. This scheme tends to cover 80 crore beneficiaries across the nation.

Scheme Overview:

List of scheme launched by Central Government

Scheme Objectives and Benefits:

• The main objective of the scheme is to provide food grains and solve the hunger issues of the poor families
• It will help the people in overcoming their hardships
• Under the scheme, free ration including 5 kgs food grains per month will be provided to the beneficiaries
• There are a lot many poor people affected due to covid-19 pandemic and this scheme tends to support these people
• All the beneficiaries under NFSA are covered under the scheme
• It aims at protecting the poor and economically weaker sections of the society in these testing times and enhancing the overall health conditions across the state.

Key Points:

• Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) is launched by the central government for the poor people facing hardships due to pandemic and lockdown situations
• The beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) are covered under this scheme
• This scheme was launched last year in the month of March
• It was initially announced for 3 months seeing the pandemic situations and then extended till November
• This year again, amidst the second wave of the pandemic this scheme was resumed for the months of May and June
• On June 7, 2021, Honorable Prime Minster Narendra Modi announced the extension of free ration under PMGKA scheme till this Diwali i.e., November 2021
• Under this scheme, central government distributes free ration including 5kgs food grains per person per month through ration shops
• This ration is above the regular allocation to the beneficiaries under NFSA
• This scheme benefits about 80crores beneficiaries across the nation
• Last year this scheme was operational for about 8 months and about 200 lakh tonnes food grains were distributed to over 80 crores beneficiaries with a financial outlay of Rs. 75,000 crores
• The outlay of central government for undertaking this scheme in the second wave of the pandemic is Rs. 26,000 crores
• This scheme is inline with One Nation One Ration policy thereby enabling more benefits
• This scheme aims at helping the people to survive the loss due to pandemic and lockdown situations
• It will help the citizens to save a bit of their income which is usually spent on food
• This scheme will also contribute in increasing demand and reviving the economy
• It will ensure social security of the vulnerable and poor people across the nation