Bhubaneswar, Jul 5 (PTI) The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has geared up to distribute free foodgrains among 3.24 crore COVID pandemic-affected people in Odisha under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKAY-IV), a senior official said on Monday.

Five kg free foodgrains per person per month will be given to eligible beneficiaries from July to November over and above the regular monthly entitlements under the National Food Security Act, FCI Odisha Region General Manager Nishith Kumar Pradhan told reporters here.

The scheme will benefit over 80 crore people across the country, including 3.24 crore in Odisha, he said, adding the Centre will bear the entire expenditure from procurement to storage, transportation and distribution of the foodgrains.

"Approximately 1.08 lakh metric tonnes of wheat and 7.03 lakh metric tonnes of rice have been allotted for Odisha under the scheme," he said.

Under PMGKAY-III, 43,000 metric tonnes of wheat and 2.82 lakh metric tonnes of rice were distributed among beneficiaries in Odisha from May to June this year, Pradhan added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)