(a) whether the Government has decided to offer free food grains to vulnerable sections of the society during COVID-19 pandemic;
(b) if so, the details thereof and its impact on the exchequer;
(c) whether this free food grain supply is over and above the monthly entitlement of subsidized food grains under the food security;
(d) if so, the details thereto?
A N S W E R
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)
(a)to(d): As a part of Economic Response to COVID-19, Govt of India has implemented additional nation-wide schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna (PMGKAY) and Atma Nirbhar Bharat Scheme(ANBS).
Also, under PMGKAY, Govt of India has made allocation of foodgrains @ 5 kg per person per month free of cost for around 80 crore beneficiaries of all the 36 States/UTs covered under NFSA (Antyodaya Anna Yojana(AAY) & Priority Households(PHH)) including those covered under Direct Benefit Transfer(DBT) for a period of 8 months i.e April-November, 2020 and again similarly during the period May -November, 2021.
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During the year, 2020, about 322 Lakh Metric Tons (LMT) of food-grains and during the year 2021, about 278 LMT foodgrains have been allocated free of cost under PMGKAY scheme to approximately 80 Crore NFSA beneficiaries.
Under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Scheme (ANBS), this Department made allocation of about total 8 LMT of additional free of cost food-grain covering all the States/UTs for migrants/stranded migrants, who are neither covered under National Food Security Act (NFSA) nor State Scheme PDS Cards, @ 5 kg per person per month free of cost for a period of two months (May & June, 2020).
The allocation of free foodgrains under PMGKAY and ANBS was in addition to normal allocation done under the NFSA.
The total financial implication under the above PMGKAY scheme i.e April-November, 2020 and May, 2021 to November, 2021 is estimated to be upto a maximum of Rs. 215992.07 Crores.
In addition to PMGKAY, under ANBS, financial implication of upto maximum of Rs. 3109.52 crore have also been incurred.
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