New Delhi: India is likely to extend by three months its free food grains program that covers the majority of the nation’s population. It costs Rs 1800 crore annually. The government may continue to provide free rice or wheat to about 800 million people until December as the food ministry has sought an extension, Bloomberg reported.
The finance ministry, which wasn’t in favour of extending the program, has suggested reducing the amount of grains offered due to fiscal pressures and tight supplies globally. A final call is expected soon, the report added.
The program, which started in April 2020 to help feed the poor during the COVID-19 lockdown, allows 5 kilograms of food grains per person every month.
