New Delhi, December 7: The Centre has allocated 1,118 lakh tonnes of foodgrains to states and Union Territories so far under the free ration scheme PMGKAY with a food subsidy outlay of around Rs 3.91 lakh crore, Parliament was informed on Wednesday.

The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) was launched in April 2020 and has been extended several times. In September-end, the scheme was extended for a further period of three months up to December 2022 (Phase VII). PMGKAY Scheme Update: Centre Extends Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana Till September 2022.

Under the scheme, the Centre provides 5 kilograms of wheat and rice free of cost to 80 crore poor every month. This is over an above the foodgrains supplied under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Free Ration Scheme PMGKAY Extended for Another Three Months.

In a written reply to Lok Sabha, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal said: "So far under the PMGKAY scheme the government has allocated a total of almost 1,118 lakh tonnes foodgrains to the states/UTs (i.e total allocation from Phase I to phase VII)."

The total sanctioned outlay for food subsidy and central assistance for all phases I-VII is approximately Rs 3.91 lakh crore, he added. In 2020-21 fiscal, Rs 1,13,185 crore was allocated to implement the PMGKAY, while Rs 1,47,212 crore was allocated in 2021-22 and Rs 1,30,600 crore in the 2022-23 fiscal.

The PMGKAY was started in April 2020 to help the poor whose livelihoods were shuttered by a nationwide lockdown aimed at containing the spread of the Coronavirus.

(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)