COVID-19 Crisis: Centre Unveils Free Foodgrain & Pulses Scheme For 3 Months Under PDS

New Delhi: In view of the coronavirus crisis in the country, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced that ration card holders will be given extra 5 kg of foodgrain per person and 1 kg of pulses per household for free for the next three months under the public distribution system (PDS).

The relief measure will be provided to 80 crore ration card holders across the country under the Rs 1.7 lakh crore “Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY)”.

Speaking about the relief measure, Sitharaman said, “Under PMGKY, 80 crore poor people, which comprises two-thirds of our population, will get 5 kg of foodgrain per person for free for the next three months. This will be over and above the existing quota of 5 kg under PDS.”

“This measure will ensure no gareeb (poor) remains hungry,” she added.

The extra pulses and foodgrain will be provided to the ration card holders in two instalments.

At present, the government has a total of 58.49 million tonnes of foodgrain stocked in Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns, including 30.97 million tons of rice and 27.52 million tons of wheat, as per official data.