No plans to extend free ration plan beyond November 30: Centre

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 5

So far the Centre has no proposal to extend distribution of free ration via the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKAY) beyond November 30 in view of recovery in the economy and good disposal of foodgrains in the open market under the OMSS policy, Food Secretary Sudhanshu Pandey said today.

Pandey said the economy is reviving and the open market sale scheme disposal of foodgrains has also been exceptionally good this year. “Therefore, there is no proposal to extend PMGKAY,” he said.

Government sources said “best appropriate decision will be taken at a suitable time”, adding that “everyone is having subsidised ration at nominal rates and things have already improved radically”

The scheme was announced in March 2020 to ameliorate the distress caused by Covid-19.  Launched for the April-June 2020 period, the scheme was extended till November 30 keeping mind the economic slowdown due to the pandemic. 

The government supplies free ration to 80 crore ration card holders identified under the National Food Security Act, over and above the subsidised grains distributed via ration shops. Officials said the government has been giving rice and wheat to bulk consumers under the OMSS policy to improve availability in the domestic market and check prices.

Meanwhile, stating that edible oil prices are showing a declining trend across the country, Pandey said the government has cut the basic duty on crude palm oil, crude soyabean oil, and crude sunflower oil from 2.5 per cent to nil to reign in continuous rise in the cooking oil prices since past one year.  The agri-cess has been brought down from 20 per cent to 7.5 per cent for crude palm oil and 5% for crude soyabean oil and crude sunflower oil. To control prices of edible oils the government has rationalised import duties on palm oil, sunflower oil, and soyabean oil, futures trading in mustard oil on NCDEX has been suspended and stock limits have been imposed, he said.

Major edible oils players, including Adani Willmar and Ruchi industries, have cut wholesale prices by Rs 4 -7 per litre prices to give relief to consumers during festival season.