PremiumIn March 2020, the Centre had launched the scheme to provide free foodgrains to over 80 crore beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act as part of its effort to reduce the hardships of people during the coronavirus pandemic.
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NEW DELHI : Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday remained non-committal on whether the government has any plans to extend Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) beyond March this year.
In March 2020, the Centre had launched the scheme to provide free foodgrains to over 80 crore beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) as part of its effort to reduce the hardships of people during the coronavirus pandemic.
The additional foodgrains of 5 kilograms per person per month is over and above the normal quota provided under the NFSA at a highly subsidised rate of ₹2-3 per kg.
"I have nothing to say beyond the Budget," Sitharaman said during a post-budget briefing.
She was responding to a query on whether PMGKAY will be extended beyond March 2022.
The scheme has been extended several times and is now valid till March 2022.
Under the fifth phase, which is from December 2021 to March 2022, the food ministry had allocated 163 lakh tonnes foodgrains to all States/UTs, for the four-month distribution period.
Initially in 2020-21, PMGKAY scheme was announced only for a period of three months of April, May and June 2020 (Phase-I).
Later, the government extended the scheme from July to November 2020 (Phase-II).
With the COVID crisis continuing in 2021-22, the Centre in April 2021 had re-introduced the scheme for the two months of May and June 2021 (Phase-III) and extended it for another five months from July to November 2021 (Phase-IV).
The scheme was again extended from December 2021 to March 2022 (Phase-V).
On January 12, 2021, the food ministry had informed that under Phases I to V, a total of about 759 lakh tonnes of foodgrains had been allocated so far to the States/UTs, which is equivalent to about ₹2.6 lakh crore in food subsidy.
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