The Modi government has taken a big decision in favour of the poor and extended the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana) till March 2022. Earlier, the scheme was ending in December. Under this scheme, 5 kg of food grains per person is given free of cost to every family. The scheme benefits about 80 crore people.
Giving information about the decisions taken by the government after the cabinet meeting, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said that it has been decided in the meeting that the plan to give free ration under PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana will be extended till March 2022. Apart from this, he also informed about the approval of the proposal for the withdrawal of agricultural laws.
Earlier, the government had said that there is no proposal to pursue this scheme and there was a lot of ruckus by the opposition parties regarding this issue as well. Now, in the cabinet meeting chaired by PM Modi on Wednesday, it has been decided to take the plan forward.
For the uninitiated, every month, 5 kg of wheat or rice and 1 kg of favourite pulses are given free of cost to 80 crore poor people of the country. Under the scheme, twice the quantity of ration is provided by the central government to all the ration card holders as compared to the existing quantity. To ensure the amount of protein in the family, 1 kg of pulses is also being given every month. The benefit of PMGKAY is also being given to those people who do not have a ration card, although it is mandatory to have an Aadhaar card to get the benefit of this scheme.
If the beneficiaries of this scheme are facing any problem in getting free food grains or those who give it are reluctant, then the government has given toll-free numbers (1800-180-2087, 1800-212-5512 and 1967) on which complaint can be made.
During the press conference, Anurag Thakur said that the government is trying to bring a bill related to the withdrawal of these three laws in the Parliament at the beginning of the session and get it passed. He said that it is the priority of the government to pass the bill related to the withdrawal of the three laws.
