The Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ms. Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today informed that on 31st July 2022, total 824 Lakh Metric Ton (LMT) of free foodgrains has been distributed under PMGKAY, with a total subsidy outlay of around Rs. 2.79 Lakh Crore.

In the wake of COVID-19 outbreak in the country in March 2020, Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) had started the distribution of ‘additional’ and ‘free-of-cost’ foodgrains (Rice/Wheat) to around 80 Crore National Food Security Act (NFSA) beneficiaries in the country under the “Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY)” to ameliorate the food security hardships faced by the poor and needy due to unprecedented outbreak of the pandemic.

The scheme is reviewed from time to time for appropriate decision.

In order to ensure management of foodgrain stocks as per norms, to position rice stock for distribution of fortified rice and to ease the pressure on the logistics, this Department substituted a quantity of about 11.06 LMT of wheat per month under the PMGKAY-VI into rice for five (5) months, i.e. May 2022 to September 2022, while maintaining the total allocation made initially in March 2022.

 

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