About 55 lakh beneficiaries of Jharkhand were deprived of rations under the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKY) in the month of September. Under this, 59.46 lakh beneficiaries of the state are to be given five kg ration per month free of cost. On the other hand, only 8 per cent of the beneficiaries got ration in September. Earlier in August also, about 25 per cent beneficiaries of this scheme could not get ration.

Officials of the Food Supply Department said that due to technical reasons, cent per cent online entry of ration distribution has not been done in the Aahar portal, while the online entry made in the Aahar portal to get the allocation of food grains under this scheme from the Center is based on the basis. Due to lack of 100 per cent entry, according to the rules, the central government after review has cut the allocation for this month as much as the distribution is not visible on the portal.

Rameshwar Oraon, Food Supply Minister said to media, "There is no availability of food grains in the FCI godown in Jharkhand, the state government has repeatedly written to the center, there is a problem in the operation of trains, food grains have to be distributed twice a month, one is the regular quota of five kilograms, on the other hand under the food grain scheme, five kg is to be given free of cost, the quota of the state has increased, but the food grains are not getting on time. The state government will try to solve the problem."

The PMGKY scheme launched by the central government has been given an extension of three months. In such a situation, the beneficiaries have to get the benefit of this scheme till December. This scheme was started by the central government during the covid transition period. Under this, five kg of grains are provided free of cost to the beneficiary family every month.

Only 8% Jharkhand Beneficiaries Benefited PMGKY Scheme, Officials Cite Technical Reasons