Supply free food grains, pulses to 80 crore people under PM-GKAY

Food Corporation of India (FCI) has supplied a total number of 2641 rakes, including Wheat and Rice. The announcement was made by Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ram Vilas Paswan.

PM-GKAY aims to ensure no poor vulnerable family/person suffers on account of the non-availability of foodgrains due to disruptions in the next three months amid lockdown.

Under the initiative, 21 States/UT have completed more than 90% distribution for the month of April under PM-GKAY. It covered nearly 41.35 crore beneficiaries in these States/UTs.

Some states/UTs namely, Andaman Nicobar Island, D&NH and Daman & Diu, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Puducherry, Himachal Pradesh, etc. are distributing foodgrains for two months in one go under PM-GKAY.

So far, 17 States/UTs are covered under the ‘One Nation One Ration Card’.

National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) provided free pulses for 3 months to about 19.50 crore households for three months in the country.

Also, the Department of Food & Public Distribution has constituted a Task Force to assess the situation arising out of shortage of jute bags/bales for the packaging of food grains due to the COVID19 lockdown.